Destiny
by FireFlower88
Summary: When a mission in Afghanistan goes horribly wrong, the outcome will end Callen's life as he knows it. *I own nothing, except the idea for the storyline. This is my first-ever FanFic story, so please be gentle with me! :)*
1. Chapter 1

* _Callen awakens, groggy and disoriented. His head is pounding, he tastes the metallic hint of blood coming from his split lip, and his shoulders ache. Slowly, he takes in his surroundings, now realizing he is laying on his side on the ground, hands bound behind him. The room furnishings are sparse; uncovered concrete floor, one glowing lantern hanging above him, and no furniture save for a wooden chair against the far wall. No windows, just one door, presumably locked from the outside. He rolls painfully to his knees, resting his forehead on the floor. "At least the cold concrete is good for something." He thought as it slightly alleviated the pain in his skull. Taking stock of the rest of his body, aside from stiffness and mild pain throughout, he felt no major injuries. He turned his thoughts to trying to remember where he was, why he hurt, and how he got here._

 _Slowly, he pieced together the mission that had gone so horribly wrong and resulted in his captivity: The team was investigating why weapons and ammunition that were ordered by Forward Operating Base (FOB) Delaram never arrived. According to Eric and Nell's digging, the supplies were in fact shipped from the mainland and had been delivered as far as Camp Leatherneck, but disappeared before reaching the FOB. En route to Delaram, the team's convoy was attacked and came under heavy fire from Taliban militants. The last thing Callen remembered was a blistering explosion as the Humvee he had been riding in exploded behind him as he ran from it for better cover, throwing him to the ground and into blackness._

" _That explains a lot. Except where I am…" He thought to himself just before the door clanked open…*_

" _Well, well, the enemy awakens."_ Said an unfamiliar voice with a heavy accent.

Callen turned his head toward the voice. The man stood approximately 5' 10" tall, with a stocky build. He had a full, dark beard and a mix of middle-eastern garb and military gear, including a tac-vest and AR-15 slung over his shoulder. He stood over Callen with a smirk and delivered a solid kick to Callen's right side. Callen groaned and coughed as he tipped back over onto his left side.

" _For such a big, strong American, you look more like a weak dog to me."_ Another kick, this time to Callen's exposed belly, which knocked the wind out of him. In between gasps and coughs, Callen whispered a few words.

" _What….want….fromme?"_

" _What I want will not necessarily come from you, but you will help me acquire it."_ His assailant answered. He grabbed Callen and dragged him to his feet, then shoved him into a kneeling position facing the wall.

" _However, you may still prove useful in the meantime. Where are the rest of your team?"_

" _I don't know."_ Callen replied _. "I don't remember anything between being thrown to the ground and waking up here."_

" _Where would they be going? Why are you here?"_

" _We were taking a ride in the country. You know, taking in the scenery."_ Callen said lightly.

" _Very well, have it your way."_ Grabbing Callen's bound hands, he forced them upwards, bending Callen almost to where his forehead could touch the floor. Almost. Callen felt his arms being pulled taut and remaining suspended. The rope holding him up was just too short to allow for him to rest his upper body weight on the floor, but also prevented him from raising his torso into a more comfortable kneel without further pain in his shoulders. In short, he was hanging by his arms. Already, his shoulders began to protest.

" _Enjoy your evening. I will be back in the morning to continue our little chat."_ The door opened and banged shut again, leaving Callen alone in the dimness.

 _*Back at Camp Leatherneck, Sam, Deeks, and Kensi are being checked out at the infirmary. Aside from mild shrapnel wounds, cuts, scratches, and a small 1_ _st_ _-degree burn on the back of Deeks' neck from the heat of the exploding Humvee, the team are fine and released. They converge on the Comms unit, where they report to Hetty and Granger on the attack. *_

" _What do you mean, Mr. Callen is missing?"_ Hetty asks, alarmed.

" _We searched the area as thoroughly as possible, but found only his helmet about 25 feet from the destroyed Humvee."_ Sam states. _"There was a small amount of blood a few feet away, but not enough to worry about. Maybe G broke his nose or banged his head when he landed."_

" _What about his GPS beacon?"_ inquired Hetty.

" _Turned off about an hour after he went missing."_ Deeks replied.

" _Is it possible you were targeted specifically, or do you think it was a random assault on an American military convoy?"_ Granger asks.

" _I doubt we were targeted; these were Talib insurgents, not Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers. My guess is, they were just watching the road, waiting for a target."_ said Sam.

" _I don't think we were THE target, just happened to be in the wrong place, wrong time."_ Kensi chimed in.

" _So we have no idea where they came from, where Agent Callen is, or why he is missing. We have an idea of who they were and possibly why you were attacked."_ Hetty mused aloud. _"Sounds like you've opened a Pandora's box over there. We will check back with you in 2400 hours, unless you find any major answers. Report immediately, in that case."_

" _Understood"_ the remaining team members acknowledged, and the call was disconnected.

Sam was the first to break their silence.

" _Let's start with finding out who they are. Might lead us to the rest of the answers we need. Kensi, you go speak with the security patrols Captain. Find out if there were any other attacks on convoys coming from here, or any attack within a 50-mile radius."_

" _And I can see ask around to see if there's been any suspicious activity around here. Anybody coming here seeking help that was unusual or poking around where they shouldn't have been."_ Deeks suggested _._

" _Sounds good"_ said Kensi.

" _Yeah, sounds good. I will keep working our original case. It too, might confirm whether we were attacked intentionally or not. Which will help us determine who attacked us."_ Replied Sam.

Kensi and Deeks left Comms to start their inquiries. Sam remained behind for a few more minutes, his thoughts heavily on his missing friend.

" _Wherever you are, G, just know we're coming for you."_


	2. Chapter 2

_I apologize for any confusing spacing; I'm still trying to figure out how best to do it. Any suggestions are welcome! Thank you to all who reviewed Ch. 1! I will usually post updates on Saturdays, but I'll give you guys an extra taste today. Happy Thanksgiving to all!_

 _*Early the next morning*_

Callen was struggling hard to keep his focus. He had been unable to sleep in this position, and the pain in his arms, shoulders, back, and legs was nearly

intolerable. He had been playing his own mind games to try and keep his composure in the midst of the gradually building pain in his body. Over and over, he

whispered the same phrase in every language he knew, cycling through English, Romani, French, Russian, German...

" _Federal Agent G. Callen, NCIS…Agent federal G. Callen, NCIS….Agent fédéral G. Callen, NCIS…."_

But his body was betraying him. Sweating and shaking from the effort, it took all of his concentration to keep from crying out. Just as he didn't think he could

last any longer, the door opened. Only, instead of his tormentor, a woman entered. She was dressed in a _Niqab (a headscarf that covers the head and face,_

 _but leaves the eyes uncovered)_ , and from his position, he couldn't see even her eyes. She moved quickly, but softly across the floor. She had something in her

hands, but what he couldn't see; he just hoped it wasn't an instrument to cause further pain.

She seemed uncertain as she set the object down a few feet from him; she hesitated for a moment before leaving. He took this opportunity to appeal to what

he hoped was a softer side of her.

" _Let me go, please! I'm an American citizen. You can't keep me here as a prisoner. Let me go!"_ he pleaded. His plea seemed to snap her out of her hesitation,

and she turned to leave.

" _Wait! Please, release the rope just a little. You don't even have to release me fully, just take the strain off, please! I can't take it anymore."_ He begged.

She stopped, then turned back and untied the knot and lessened the tension, but too quickly. Callen's arms, with no more strength to control their descent

and extremely stiff from their prolonged position, dropped painfully fast, eliciting a loud cry of pain from him. Startled, she gasped and jumped back, still

holding the rope, then covered his mouth with her hand, trying to silence him.

" _Shh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it was an accident. Be quiet or we're both going to hurt a lot more than this!"_ she said softly in Dari (Afghan Farsi). Callen's shouts

quieted to soft groans, and she removed her hand. Retying the rope at the lower position, she knelt beside him and picked up the object she'd brought; it was

a small jug of water. He slowly raised up as far as he could onto his knees and she held it to his lips, allowing him to drink. She then took the edge of her

dress and wet it, using it to gently wipe the blood from his face. As she did this, he observed what little he could about her. Though she said nothing else and

averted her eyes from his, they were kind. When she finished, she rose and hurried back to the door.

" _Tashakor"_ he said, thanking her in her language.

She paused with her hand on the door for a moment, then opened it and left.

 _Sam, Kensi, and Deeks were discussing their findings over lunch in the mess._

" _From what I've been able to find, the missing shipment did, in fact, leave here for Delaram. It arrived here at 1000 on June 5_ _th_ _, was processed, and shipped_

 _out the following day. What's strange is, no attacks were reported on the convoy; it flat disappeared. It never arrived at the FOB, nor did it return."_ Kensi

reported.

" _The patrol unit here did not recall any strange activity, but they do have surveillance cameras. I was thinking of scanning through the footage later on_

 _tonight."_ Said Deeks.

Sam thought for a moment before he spoke. _"Then perhaps our attack wasn't such an accident after all."_ The other two nodded in silent agreement.

" _I hope Callen's okay."_ Deeks said softly.

" _He's a tough guy; I'm sure wherever he is, he's holding his own."_ Kensi said encouragingly.

Sam replied pensively, _"What worries me is, that was a real small amount of blood he left behind. I doubt he was wounded badly, so why did he disappear?_

 _We called out and looked for him once the Talibs retreated, so why didn't he respond? And his GPS was *turned off*, which G wouldn't do willingly. Wherever_

 _he is, I don't think he's alone, and I doubt he's there willingly."_

" _Which is why we need to hurry and find him."_ Kensi replied. She stood and threw away what remained of her lunch. _"Two sets of eyes are better than one,_

 _Deeks. Want some help scanning that footage?"_

" _Sure Kens. Let's get to it. Let us know if you find anything else, Sam."_ Deeks stood and tossed his stuff, then followed after Kensi. Sam was just about to

leave when a soldier approached him. _"Sir, you're going to want to see this."_ Sam followed him to the COMMS building.

***Several hours later***

Kensi and Deeks were running through the footage of the cameras for the day the shipment left the base; the two monitors showed all 16 camera views.

Suddenly he sat forward, then rewound the tape a bit, and called Kensi. She pulled her chair a little closer.

" _What did you find?"_ she asked.

" _This."_ Deeks said, pushing a button which pulled up Camera 3's view to full-screen and playing it. The camera was positioned at the main entrance gate,

aimed down the road. In the distance, a figure could be seen sneaking through the rocky terrain, finally disappearing behind a small boulder.

" _Fast-forward it. Let's see when they move."_ Kensi said excitedly. He did so, for several hours' worth of footage until a convoy was seen leaving the base. He

stopped it to watch the convoy leave, and almost immediately after it passed the boulder, the figure snuck away in the direction it appeared.

" _They were watching the road! Did they know there was going to be a weapons shipment, or were they just looking for any target and got lucky?_ Said Kensi.

" _Let's get Sam."_ Deeks said, rising and heading for the door. Unexpectedly, Sam opened it and entered before they got that far.

" _Local informant thinks they saw the convoy heading toward Maiwand. They said the vehicles were marked as U.S., on the road AH1. We are working on_

 _getting further details, but it's a start."_ He said.

Deeks relayed the info about the spy on the tape. Just as he finished, a Private interrupted to inform them that they had a call from the mainland, from a Ms.

Lange. They followed him to give her the updates.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hello everyone! Thank you to Mulderette, JaniceS, me, and French Fan for your wonderfully kind encouragement! I was nervous to start this, but glad to know you're enjoying reading as much as I do writing. So, for clarification, while the team is in Afghanistan, all interactions between Afghani people and the team are in Dari, unless otherwise specified. That's important for later…_ _Any questions, do feel free to ask for clarification._

 _It had now been a few days since Callen's capture. Or at least, he thought so…with no windows, the only way he could tell day or night was by the light that spilled in when someone opened the door. But then, his captor came and went sometimes several times close together, so he couldn't always tell time reliably that way. However, the woman had come 5 more times, and each time, there was little light behind her; presumably, she was coming in early morning and evening. She didn't say anything, but always brought water. Sometimes she brought a little piece of bread and fed it to him. She avoided eye contact, but from what he could see, her eyes were kind. He found himself looking forward to her brief visits. He now sat against the wall, having been released from the excruciating kneel of the first night. His captor had returned to torment him in different ways: beatings, waterboarding, even using a small tazer on one occasion. Each time, Callen gave up no information, but his resolve was beginning to waver; he hoped for rescue or even death to come soon. Every man has his breaking point…_

 _He was dozing against the wall, hands still bound, when the door opened and in walked the woman. She approached as usual and fed him a bit of bread. As he chewed gratefully, she spoke in Dari for the first time since the first visit._

" _You speak Dari."_ she said tentatively. He looked at her incredulously before answering in Dari.

" _Yes, I do. Some, anyway. Enough. What is your name?"_ He asked.

" _Arya. What is yours?"_

" _Callen. Nice to meet you, Arya."_ he said with a small smile.

She nodded once and fed him the rest of the bread in silence. He was grateful for her kind presence.

" _Where am I?"_ he asked.

" _Maiwand, in Kandahar Province."_ She replied.

" _If I may ask, why do you come? Why are you kind to me?"_ he asked.

She thought for a moment, then answered, _"My father is the village leader. He has a kind heart, kinder than most men I know. He doesn't hold to the Shar'ia law that others do, so I have a little more freedom to come and go within the village than most other women. And since he is the village leader, nobody dares criticize him. I come because it is right; no man deserves to be slowly starved to death, unless he were a criminal. But even then, death should be quick, not slow and cruel."_

" _Please help me get out of here. I've done nothing to deserve this imprisonment, and I want to get back to my people. Please help me."_ he implored her.

" _I should go. I will return tonight."_ Arya replied curtly, rose, and left. He sighed and lowered his head to his knees.

When Arya returned that night, there was a new sense of urgency in her demeanor. She woke Callen, who had been sleeping after another exhausting interrogation. He noticed for the first time, fear in her eyes.

" _I am willing to help you escape, but on one condition: take me to America with you."_ Arya stated.

" _Arya, I can't-"_

" _Just hear me out: I have thought of a possible plan to get you out, but if I do, I cannot return here. You don't have to do anything else but help me get to America. Once we get there, we can part ways and you'll never see me again. But I need to leave as badly as you do."_ She said.

Callen sensed something very wrong. _"Something's changed. What's wrong?"_ he asked.

" _I have been betrothed. To Saman, the man who is in charge of interrogating you. He is every bit as cruel to you as he is to his wives. Rumor has it that one of his wives, who died a few months ago, did not die of an illness, as he claimed, but at his hand. He has never treated me with kindness, only respect because of who my father is. Most of the other men don't believe the rumors of his cruelty, my father included. He thinks Saman will make a good husband because he comes from a good family. Once I am married to him, I'm certain that his treatment of me will change. He adheres to Shar'ia law, and I fear him already. Please, whether or not I help you escape and stay here, he will certainly kill me. I must escape with you. Do we have an agreement?"_ she implored.

Callen thought for a moment and agreed.

" _I want your word. An oath, that you will do everything in your power to get me to America."_ She insisted.

" _I give you my word, I will do everything I can to get you there. I promise."_ He said.

" _Okay. Be a little patient; it will take some time to make the preparations. But we should be able to leave in 3 days."_ She fed him the bread and water and left quickly.

 _Three more days._ He thought. He hoped he would survive that long.

 _***Back at Camp Leatherneck***_

 _In the past few days, Sam, Kensi, and Deeks had confirmed that the weapons and ammunition shipment had, indeed been hijacked and taken to Maiwand. Several plans had been proposed to handle the situation, but most had been turned down: attack and recover them (too risky to American lives, especially if the insurgents use those weapons to defend themselves), wait and try to infiltrate the village and recover them (no time, as the insurgents were probably planning to use them against U.S. forces, anyway.), etc. In the end, one plan had been agreed upon by the Secretaries of the Navy and Defense and ultimately signed off by the President: an airstrike, destroying the shipment and with it, the town. This did not sit well with the Team, especially Sam._

" _But what if Callen is there?! Can't they wait long enough for us to check and make sure he's not?!"_ He yelled into the satellite phone. Hetty had called them, informing him of the impending plan.

" _I'm sorry, Mr. Hanna. I dislike this mission as much as you do, and made that abundantly clear when I spoke to the SecNav, but they've made up their minds. They will do the strike first, then do a sweep for any sign of Callen."_ She responded.

Frustrated, Sam punched the wall.

" _When is the airstrike?"_ Deeks asked.

" _In 48 hours."_ Hetty replied somberly. _"Godspeed to you all."_ She ended the call.

It was not enough time to search the village. They prayed Callen was elsewhere.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! It truly makes my day each time I read one.**

In 36 hours, Arya had returned 3 more times. Each time, she updated Callen on the progress of their escape: she had been taking semi-frequent walks into the hills on the West side of the village. She made up excuses for her trips to avoid arousing suspicion: gathering wood for dinner fires, picking flowers or wild herbs, etc.

Meanwhile, Callen was continuing to weaken. After 5 days of brutal interrogations, with little more than bread and water to eat, his body was beginning to betray him. He tried to keep up what strength he had, but Saman's cruel methods kept sapping him of it. Every time he stood, stars danced in front of his eyes and his head swam with nausea. Several times, he passed out during the interrogations. He truly began to fear he wouldn't survive until Arya's plan could come to fruition. He was now laying on the floor again as she came in with her usual food and water. She woke him and, with difficulty, got him to sit up. Callen groaned as a wave of nausea washed over him. He leaned against Arya and waited for it to pass.

" _Come on now, you can't give up! We're so close; just another day. This time tomorrow, we'll be leaving! Please hold on, Callen."_ She begged, holding him up.

" _I'm trying."_ He whispered weakly. _"I don't think I have much strength left, Arya."_

She sighed and just held him for a moment. It was not lost on her that this was the first physical contact she had ever had with a man, aside from her father and uncles. It felt strange; forbidden, yet innocent at the same time. Then she moved and gave him the bread and water, promising to return in the morning. She left and went home, praying he survived the night.

Preparations for the airstrike had kicked into high gear. With 12 hours until launch, the F-18s were being loaded with their armaments of AGM-65 Maverick missiles; the plan was to avoid collateral damage if possible, so the Mavericks were being used in place of simply carpet-bombing the whole place. The pilots were being briefed in 6 hours, and the attack would commence after dark.

The team had continued their search for Callen, but to no avail. Sam continued to pray for Callen's safe return, and he, along with Kensi and Deeks had continued contact with local informants, but none had seen him. It seemed he may never be found.

***11 hours later***

Arya was awakened by a commotion and screaming nearby. She heard gunfire and the screams silenced. She rose quickly and stepped into the hallway; the clock read 9:30pm. She was met by her mother, looking equally confused as she was. The turned toward the front door, which opened and her brother Aziz barged through, shutting it behind him and locking it. _"Hide, quickly! It's Saman! He and his Talib friends have taken over the village! They've killed father and taken over!"_ he said, panicked. Suddenly, the door behind him rattled as his body was riddled with bullets from the other side. He slumped in front of the door, blocking it shut. Arya and her mother screamed, her mother crawled to her son's body and cradled it, sobbing. Arya shouted for her mother to get away from the door, but it was too late; more bullets perforated the door and killed her mother, too. Arya scurried backward, her hand over her mouth to cover her own shrieks of sadness and terror. As the assailants tried to get through the door, now blocked by the two bodies, she snapped out of her panic long enough to dress and throw on a long scarf, which she wrapped around her head and face. She grabbed the bag she had packed with some extra clothes and belongings and, after a careful sweep of the alley behind her room, climbed out the window and made her way to the prison.

Callen was awakened by the screams and gunfire, too. He struggled to sit up and determine what was happening. _A rescue, perhaps?_ He thought hopefully. He thought of Arya and feared she had been caught in the crossfire. Was one of the screams hers?

As if on cue, the door opened. He expected one of two things were about to happen: he was about to be killed by one of the shooters, or he was about to be rescued by one of the shooters. His heart stopped when he recognized who it was: Saman, his pistol in one hand.

" _Now, I have no need to let you live, Infidel dog. I am now the leader of this village, with no one to answer to! I send you on your way to hell. Allah u Akbar."_ He said, stepping forward and aiming the gun at Callen. Callen, with nowhere to go and no way to defend himself, braced himself for the shot.

" _Almost there. Allah, help us!"_ Arya prayed as she made her way across the village to the prison. Several times, she had nearly been seen, but had hidden just in time in the shadows. She was now across the street, when she saw Saman rush to the door. She gasped as she saw the pistol in his hand. Knowing that Callen had moments to live, she grabbed the walking stick of a fallen villager and ran forward. Silently, she swung the stick at Saman's head with all her might at the same time he fired a shot at Callen. He never heard her approach, nor her swing of the stick as it connected with the right side of his skull. He dropped like a rock, the gun skittering across the floor. When he didn't move, she ran to Callen, fearing the worst. He was slumped against the wall, not moving.

" _Callen!"_ she screamed. _"Callen, wake up! Say something!"_ She turned him to face her, and he opened his eyes. Breathing a word of thanks to Allah, she scanned his body for the wound but, save for a small one to his left shoulder, he seemed unharmed. Taking a small knife from her bag, she cut his hands free.

" _What's going on?"_ Callen asked.

" _Come on! We're leaving now. Saman has killed my father and is taking over the village!"_ She explained. He tried to rise, but stumbled. She caught him, then swore under her breath. Putting his arm over her shoulders, they made their way to the door.

" _Grab the gun."_ Callen ordered. She picked it up and handed it to him; after checking the safety, he tucked it into his belt. Then they stepped over Saman, went out the door and hurried around the corner.

They stopped to rest several times. Callen's head swam and he struggled to stay upright, but Arya's strength surprised him; not once did she let him fall. The chaos continued in the village, but miraculously, no one noticed the two making their way toward the mountains. They finally made it out of the village and started climbing into the rocky foliage. They were about 600 feet up the 2,500-ft. mountain when they heard an unnatural roar behind them. Callen and Arya turned just in time to see the F-18s unload their Mavericks into the village, right in the neighborhood where Callen's prison had stood just 10 minutes ago. The explosion was massive, as the weapons and ammunition he had been looking for exploded, a mere 25 yards away from where he had been held.

Sam, Kensi, and Deeks were sitting outside around a firepit, waiting for word on the assault; none of them could sleep until they knew the outcome. It had commenced at 2200, with the first missile making contact at 2210. It was now 2348; they should be getting news any minute now. Col. Andrews approached them slowly.

" _The mission is complete. Debriefing is about to start in 5 minutes."_ He informed them. They rose to follow.

" _The mission was a success; the targets were hit and destroyed, and our ground team confirmed their destruction. It seems that we struck in the middle of a disturbance of some kind; several villagers were killed by gunfire, not our missiles. According to our informants, a coup of some kind had happened; something about the village leader being murdered and another man taking over his position. We were not involved in the exchange of power, but our informant found something…"_ the Colonel turned toward where Sam, Deeks, and Kensi were standing.

" _Do these look familiar to you?"_ he opened a bag and removed Callen's tac-vest, sidearm holster, and slightly bloodied field jacket.

" _NOOOOOO!"_ Kensi moaned and grabbed Deeks for support. He held her for a moment, then lowered both of them to the floor as his own knees gave out under him. They both sat, Kensi sobbing into his chest, tears sliding down Deeks' face into her hair.

Sam was beside himself. Unable to control his emotions, he shoved his way outside and, when he was a good distance away, uttered a cry of grief and anger. He fell to his knees and pounded the dirt, over and over, until his hands bled and his throat was raw from screaming. Exhausted, he crawled to the nearest solid object and leaned against it, continuing to grieve alone through the night for his fallen friend and brother.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all the encouragement!**

About halfway up the mountain, Arya and Callen stopped to rest. Callen's legs had finally collapsed under him and he could go no further. Arya found a sheltered spot for him to rest, out of sigh tof any passing intruders.

" _I hid provisions somewhere around here. Stay here. I will go find them, and then I can look at that_ _wound."_ She said quietly and headed back down the mountain, leaving Callen alone with his thoughts.

He stretched his arms gingerly, working them in circles. Having them bound behind him for several days had left him with extremely sensitive shoulder and elbow joints. He tried to lay on his back,but the gun in his belt jabbed him uncomfortably. He carefully pulled it out and examined it as best hecould in the dark. It felt familiar; stunned, he realized it was his own Sig Sauer P229. _"That would've_ _been ironic."_ He thought, realizing he had nearly been killed with his own gun.

Suddenly he heard a noise in the brush behind him. In one fluid movement, he turned and lay prone, ignoring the pain in his arms and aiming his weapon toward the sound. He held his breath, listening…the sound was coming closer…his finger tightened on the trigger, ready to fire. At once, Arya emerged. He let out his breath and released the trigger, lowering the pistol.

" _Callen?"_ Arya called softly. _"Where are you?"_

" _I'm here."_ He responded, raising back into a sitting position. He watched her carry a couple of bundles into their clearing and set them down. Digging around inside one, she produced a bottle of water, a roll of gauze, and a small flashlight. Then, staying low, she crept around to his left.

" _Let me see that shoulder."_ She said. He tried to protest.

" _It's just a little scratch, it's fine."_ He said.

Ignoring his protest, she glared at him and clicked on the flashlight. His shirt sleeve was plastered to his arm, soaked with blood. _"Hold this"_ she ordered, holding the flashlight out to him. He rolled his eyes, but took it. _"Keep it right here so I can see."_ She said, and he complied. Carefully, she peeled his sleeve away. The wound was about 3 inches long, running horizontally across the outside of his bicep, but luckily not deep enough to need stitches. It had just grazed him, mercifully. Unscrewing the cap from the water bottle, she poured some of the water over the wound. He winced, but said nothing. She unwound the gauze and wrapped the wound carefully, securing it snugly.

" _Thanks"_ Callen said.

" _Of course"_ she replied, packing away the supplies into the bag they came from.

" _No, I mean for everything. For your kindness, for bringing me food and water, for-"_ Callen stopped, a knot in his throat as he realized the truth of what he was about to say. _"For saving my life. Several times_ _over."_

Arya smiled thinly. _"Of course."_ She turned away, hiding the tears in her eyes as the gravity of the night's events began to hit home. She busied herself with rummaging through the bags, taking inventory of what they had.

" _We don't have everything I'd wanted; I was going to get the food tomorrow. But, we'll work with what_ _we have. We'll just have to eat whatever we can find."_ She said firmly, trying to hide the emotions welling up in her chest. _"You should get some rest while you can. We will travel mostly by night and_ _morning to avoid detection and the heat. I will keep watch for a few hours, then we go."_

" _How far is it? To the base?"_ Callen asked.

" _Couple of days' walk, depending on how your strength holds up. Another reason to travel during dark,_ _won't have to worry about the heat sapping away what energy you have."_ She answered.

Wordlessly, Callen laid down on the hard earth and slipped into a fitful sleep. She watched over him. Seeing him asleep, she privately let her emotions go and cried silently. Grieving over her lost family, she looked out over what remained of her home. _"Oh, Allah!"_ she whispered. Smoke still poured into the sky, a silent offering to Allah. Kneeling and pressing her forehead into the earth, she prayed for her family members, beseeching Allah to accept them into his arms in death. Pouring out her heart and her tears into the earth, she didn't hear Callen silently rise and come over to her.

He had only slept about an hour when he was awakened by soreness in his hip and side. The hard earth was less than comfortable, and he started to turn over when he realized he didn't see Arya. He sat up and looked around the clearing. He saw her on the other side, curled over facedown. He silently came over, unsure if she was hurt or had fallen asleep in the odd position. She didn't even move as he crouched beside her and put his hand on her back. When he felt the sobs wracking her body, he sat down, gently took her shoulders and pulled her up.

" _Come here. Arya."_ He said softly, pulling her up and into his arms. He cradled her against his chest, rocking back and forth gently. Having no more strength to resist, she let herself be comforted. Unsure of herself, she tentatively wrapped her arms around him and, when he gave no protest, she clung to him tightly as she sobbed into his chest.

" _Gone…they're all gone..."_ she sobbed.

" _I know. I know, and I'm sorry. Shhh, it's going to be okay. I'm so sorry, Arya."_ He soothed.

" _I watched them….I saw them….they died right there in my own house…I saw the bullets rip holes in their_ _bodies….watched the life ebb away….Mama….Aziz…he said Papa was dead, too…dead….dead…Oh,_ _Allah…why?"_ she whispered hoarsely in between sobs. Callen said nothing as she told him of the horror she had witnessed; he knew all too well the pain she was wrestling with. He continued to hold her, until her sobs quieted and she slipped into her own sleep. He sat like that for some time, not moving, not wanting to disturb her. _"I'll let her have some peace for a_ _bit."_ He thought. He sat until his back couldn't take it anymore, and carefully tried to worm himself out from her arms. His movement woke her with a start.

" _It's okay, just me. I'm sorry I woke you. I just needed to move."_ He said.

" _No, it's fine."_ She said. Looking around for just a moment, the memories of the previous hours came flooding back, threatening new tears. Untangling herself from him, she got up and stretched, then adjusted the scarf covering her face.

" _We should get moving now. We need to cover as much ground as we can under darkness."_ She said.

" _Just keep moving. Don't stop, don't think about them. Just keep moving._ They divided the bags of provisions among themselves, and set off toward Camp Leatherneck.


	6. Chapter 6

**Whoohoo! I'm excited to have reached 1,000+ views! Thank you all for reading, it totally gives me warm fuzzies inside. Feel free to leave your thoughts; I look forward to reading your reviews. :) Figured I'd post a couple of days early, since I will be travelling for the holiday tomorrow. Enjoy!**

Sam awoke to bright sunlight on his face. He opened his eyes and immediately regretted it as his retinas were assaulted by the intense light. He groaned and shaded his face with his hand and tried opening his eyes again. _"What….why am I outside?"_ he wondered. Then suddenly it came back to him: Callen was dead. His partner, his friend, his brother, was dead and never coming back. The grief washed over him anew. With great effort, he got up off the ground and looked around the camp. Deeks and Kensi were nowhere to be seen. Not wanting to talk to anybody, he made his way to his quarters. He dreaded the next call with Hetty; it was going to be impossible to tell her of Callen's demise. He hoped she had already been informed by someone else. Entering the barracks he shared with Kensi and Deeks, he found them asleep in each other's arms on Deeks' bunk. Silently, he grabbed a change of clothes and headed for the showers. There, he could let the tears flow freely and let them mix with the water, disguising them along with his soul-crushing grief.

Callen was exhausted, but growing more hopeful as they covered miles of territory. They had walked for the last 12 hours, stopping every hour to rest. According to Arya's calculations, at the rate they were going, they should reach the base in about another day's walk. The scenery was surprisingly beautiful, as the early morning sun came up over the horizon, bathing the earth in its warm glow and casting shadows over the rocky terrain.

Arya had said little. He knew she was still grieving the loss of her family, so he tried to keep what little conversation they had on the lighter side.

" _What do you want to do when you get to America?"_ he asked as they stopped to sit on a small boulder.

" _I don't know. Survive, I suppose."_

" _Well, right, but….if you could be anything you wanted, what would it be?"_ he pressed.

She thought for a moment. _"I don't know…what is it that women there do?"_

" _Pretty much whatever they want. You could be a doctor, a teacher, a writer…police officer, the list is endless."_ He said.

" _A teacher…maybe a doctor."_ She replied. _"But I'm not smart enough to be a doctor."_

" _Oh, I beg to differ. I'd be willing to bet you're smarter than you think."_

She shrugged noncommittally. _"We should keep moving."_ She said, starting to walk again. Callen followed for several yards before asking _"So, what's for_

 _breakfast…?"_

***12 Hours Later***

" _I just can't believe it. I can't believe he's really dead."_ Kensi said aloud.

" _Me neither, Kens. It just doesn't seem real. He was always…invincible. Well, I mean, almost. There was that business with getting shot, but you know, he_

 _survived that."_ Deeks replied.

" _I wonder how Sam's holding up."_ Kensi wondered.

They hadn't seen him since the call informing Hetty. Reluctant as he was, it was his duty as Callen's partner and the next man in the chain of command to assume that command and, thus, make the call. She had uttered three words: _"Are you certain?"._ When Sam choked out the affirmative, she ended the call. That was 12 hours ago, and the duo hadn't seen Sam since then. They were now waiting for their transport back to the states, despite Sam's protest against returning without Callen's body. The transport was originally scheduled to arrive later today, but a sandstorm had delayed the plane for another day. So now they were just sitting around, trying to distract themselves from the pain of losing their friend and leader.

" _Not well, I think. Isn't it strange…how, when somebody dies, you have such a hard time saying their name? Or is that just me?"_ Deeks asked.

" _No, it's not just you. I can't say his name, either."_ She whispered, fighting back fresh tears.

" _Hey, it's okay."_ Deeks said, moving around the table to take her in his arms again.

" _NO IT'S NOT OKAY! HE IS DEAD, HOW IS THAT EVEN REMOTELY OKAY?"_ Kensi shouted at him. He backed up a step, startled by her outburst.

" _You're right, it's not okay. I'm sorry, that wasn't what I meant, Baby."_ He sat down next to her and put his arms around her. She let the hot tears fall yet again; she had long lost count of how many times she'd cried in the last 24 hours. God, she couldn't wait to leave this place…

Callen and Arya were now just a couple of hours away from the base. The steep mountain terrain had been difficult, but they'd made it together. They reached the top of the final mountain and looked out ahead. They spotted a cluster of drab buildings in the distance, about 20 miles away.

" _There it is! There's your base, Callen."_ Arya exclaimed. She was relieved to see that their journey was nearly over.

Callen thought he might cry from the joy and relief he felt at seeing it. He'd hoped they had survived the attack on their convoy, and the sooner his fears were put to rest, the better.

" _Thank God!"_ he said, trying to catch his breath. He didn't think he could stomach another night of toasted bread and water. His stomach seemed to perpetually growl, he still saw stars when he exerted himself too much, and he was pretty certain his clothes were feeling looser than when he left the Camp.

They made it down the mountain and continued onward, keeping a sharp eye out for any more insurgents.

" _If I may ask, how old are you, Arya?"_

" _Twenty-nine. You?"_

" _You don't wanna know."_ He said light-heartedly.

" _Yes I do! Come on, I told you, you tell me! You can't be that old; your hair isn't even grey yet."_

Callen could hear the smile in her voice and sighed. _"Forty-six. Ouch, that hurt to say aloud…"_ he joked, eliciting a laugh from Arya. Her laugh made him smile further.

They kept walking and talking for a few miles. When they stopped to rest behind a large rock, they sat down and leaned back against the rock in silence. After a few minutes, Callen saw a puff of dust rising near the road, coming toward the base. He watched for a moment. _It was an American Humvee!_ He scrambled to his feet as quickly as he could and waved his arms.

" _Arya! That's U.S.! Arya?"_ Callen turned toward her. She didn't move. He grabbed her shoulder and shook her. _"ARYA! WAKE UP!"_ Callen began to feel a twinge of panic swell up in his stomach. Checking her pulse, he was relieved to find one, though it was weak. Thinking quickly and mustering what energy he had, Callen lifted her in his arms, then turned and started running toward the truck. At 50 yards, the Humvee slowed, then stopped. The gunner warily turned the turret toward the advancing agent. Callen slowed, then dropped to his knees and set her down, raising his hands to show he was friendly. _"DON'T SHOOT! I am an American, NCIS, Federal Agent G. Callen! Please, we need help!"_

At the mention of his name, the soldiers' demeanor instantly changed. One man jumped out and hurried toward him. _"Agent Callen! We were of the belief you were dead! I'm Captain Connor. Let's get you and your friend on board and get to base! SANDERS! MILHOUSE!"_ Two other soldiers hurried over and gently picked Arya up and put her inside the Humvee. After helping Callen inside, they sped off to Camp Leatherneck.

There was a lot of activity going on around an arriving Humvee. Several medics rushed to it with gurneys. Deeks watched from the doorway of the Mess as they first unloaded an unidentifiable figure….and a familiar-looking man. He blinked in disbelief, then started heading toward the man on the gurney. As he got closer, he confirmed his suspicions. In complete shock, he stopped in his tracks.

" _Callen!"_

Callen turned his head toward the sound of his name. He found the familiar face of Martin Deeks and finally, a tear of relief escaped his eye before being taken to the infirmary.

 _"CALLEN IS ALIVE! SAM, KENSI, HE'S ALIVE!"_ Deeks yelled as he hauled ass back to the barracks. Sam and Kensi stood.

" _What do you mean? How do you know?"_ Sam asked.

Breathlessly, Deeks replied. _"I…just saw…him. They took…him… to the…infirmary."_

Sam didn't need to hear any more. Neither did Kensi.


	7. Chapter 7

**And because it's Christmas and I'm feeling festive, here's a bonus chapter! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy whatever holiday you celebrate that I'm not familiar with, haha!**

 _Callen's head exploded with pain. Saman was going to beat him to death, Callen was sure. He tried to put his hands up, but they were held down behind him. The scene changed…it was completely dark as he lay on his back. Several hands held him down and then suddenly a torrent of water hit him in the face. He realized he was being waterboarded, but that knowledge didn't help quell the feeling of drowning._

" _Callen." Someone called._

 _He struggled to hold his breath, tried to tell himself he wasn't really drowning, but his burning lungs told him otherwise._

" _Callen!" It sounded like Sam._

" _This is it." He thought. "I am going to die."_

" _CALLEN!"_

Callen gasped and opened his eyes. It wasn't dark anymore. He fought against the hands that tried to hold him down as he thrashed.

" _Easy G, easy! It's alright, you're alright! It's me, Bud. It's Sam!"_ Sam tried to calm his friend.

Callen looked around at who was holding him. Recognizing Sam's face, he relaxed and closed his eyes.

" _I thought I was about to die."_ He whispered.

" _I thought you WERE dead. Looks like we just had the same nightmare."_ Sam replied.

" _Where am I?"_ Callen asked

" _Infirmary, Camp Leatherneck."_ Sam replied.

Callen thought back through the sequence of events that brought him here. _Arya!_

 _"Sam, where's Arya?"_ he asked, slightly panicked.

" _Right here, G."_ Sam stepped aside, allowing Callen to see who was in the bed to his left. Arya lay on her back, her head turned toward him. Her eyes were closed, and an IV was taped to her hand. For the first time since they met, Callen saw her face. He couldn't help but stare for a moment; her olive skin was smooth, save for a tiny white scar on her right cheekbone. Her features were strong, but feminine; her nose was average, with a small gold piercing in the left nostril. Her lips were full, small chin…her hair was dark brown and thick as it fell over her shoulders. _"She's beautiful."_ Callen thought.

" _How did you survive, G? We searched for you after the attack, but found no sign. We found the missing shipment there in Maiwand, although the details are still sketchy as to how it got there. And then they found your stuff after the bombing. So how did you make it back alive?"_

Callen closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. _"I owe her everything, Sam. The last thing I remember about the attack was being knocked off my feet. Next thing I know, I'm being held prisoner in this…room._ Callen stopped a moment to let the emotion that welled up at the memory of experiencing such pain and hopelessness pass. He swallowed hard before continuing. _"And this man kept coming…and…interrogating me. And then, she came…she was kind…she was the only one who gave me food or water. If it wasn't for her, I would've died…twice, actually; she's the one who planned our escape and took out the man who almost killed me."_ He opened his eyes and looked at her. _"I swore to get her to America if she got me out alive. She saved my life; I owe it to her to save hers now."_

Sam listened intently, aware of the immense emotional pain his partner was struggling with. He decided not to press Callen with further questions about the interrogation until he was stronger. Callen looked at Sam. _"Help me keep my word, will you? Get the paperwork in order for her to return with us."_

Sam held out his fist. _"Sure, G. Ima go update Hetty. I'll be back later, and I'll send Kensi and Deeks to come see you later. Get some rest, huh?"_ Callen tapped Sam's fist with his own in affirmative. He watched his partner leave, then turned back to Arya. Carefully, he turned onto his side facing her and fell back asleep.

Arya awoke with a small moan. Her head hurt and something stung her hand. She looked down at her hand and was surprised to see a tube sticking out of it. She followed the tube with her eyes up to the IV bag where it hung. Looking around a bit more, she saw Callen sleeping in the next bed. He was curled on his side facing her. She took this moment to admire his face; angular nose, strong jawline, brow slightly furrowed, even in sleep…he was handsome, that much was certain. As if he sensed her interest, he opened his eyes. Blinking a couple of times, he yawned and looked up at her.

" _Hi."_ He said with a sleepy smile.

" _Hi."_ She whispered. Suddenly realizing her face was bare, her eyes widened. She immediately covered her face with her hands and turned away, ashamed to have been so exposed to him.

" _Arya, it's okay. You don't have to hide from me."_ Callen said, gingerly sitting up. _"I've already seen you without it."_

" _It's not right. Not proper…"_ she said, her face flushing with shame. _He had watched her sleep._ Her father would be so ashamed of her impropriety with this man, an unclean one, at that! _Papa!_ Her heart constricted at the thought of him. Her eyes welled up at the memory of her family's death. She tried to stop them from falling, but one slipped down her cheek.

" _Hey."_ Callen carefully leaned toward her, reaching for her. She recoiled. _"Please, don't."_ Confused by the emotions she felt, she kept a safe distance from him. He retracted his hand, unsure of what to do next.

" _Where are we? How did we get here?"_ She asked, trying to change the subject while looking around for her scarf. She found it on the chair beside the bed and quickly wrapped her head and face with it as best she could with the IV in one hand.

" _A passing Humvee brought us here after I flagged them down."_

" _Why don't I remember this?"_ Arya asked nervously.

" _You were unconscious. When we sat down to rest, you didn't wake up. I carried you to the truck."_ He replied softly.

" _Oh."_ she said. Now that she was covered, she felt much safer, although still wary of her surroundings. While Callen had been kind so far, she had heard enough stories about Americans to hold on to a little distrust of him. To her dismay, another one entered the infirmary and walked toward them. She drew her knees up protectively as the woman approached.

" _Hello Mr. Callen. I'm Dr. Williams, I've been in charge of your care since you arrived. How are you feeling?"_

" _Feeling alright. What's my diagnosis?"_ he replied.

" _You have some bruised ribs and a mild gunshot wound to your arm, but beyond that, you seem to be mostly in one piece. You were quite malnourished and dehydrated when you came in, but we took care of that with some fluids."_ She said, nodding toward the IV that hung near his bed. She then turned to Arya.

" _We haven't been properly introduced, I'm afraid. As I said, I'm Dr. Williams, Miss….?"_

" _Arya. Just Arya."_ She said quietly. _"What was wrong with me?"_

" _Also malnourished and dehydrated. Same treatment as Mr. Callen here."_ The doctor smiled warmly. _"If you're both feeling up to it, you can get up and move around a bit. We will probably discharge you later this evening, if you can keep down some food. I will be back to check on you around dinner time."_ She turned and walked out.

Callen wasted no time getting up. He wasn't accustomed to laying around much longer than necessary and was anxious to speed up his recovery so he could get back stateside. His legs were still a little shaky, but held him up. He walked to the end of his bed, then came back and sat on the edge of Arya's. He thought for a moment, then turned toward her.

" _You're safe now, Arya. You don't have to be afraid anymore. As long as you're with me, nobody here will hurt you."_

She nodded silently, still avoiding his eyes. He stood and held out his hand to her. _"Now, let's get you up and get some blood flowing. And I won't take 'no' for an answer."_ He said lightly. She looked at his hand for a moment, then tentatively reached out for it with her own. He held her hand firmly but gently as she maneuvered her legs out from under the blanket and stood up. Her legs however, betrayed her and gave out from under her. With lightning reflexes, Callen caught her before she fell completely and lowered her to sit on the bed.

 _"Let's try that again, shall we?"_ he chuckled.

Giving a little laugh, she said _"Okay. With no falling this time."_ Holding both of her hands, he tugged her to her feet and held her steady. After a moment, she let out a shaky breath and smiled, looking up at him. This time, she held his gaze for several seconds before lowering her eyes and sitting back down. He released her hands and sat back onto his own bed, just in time for Deeks, Kensi, and Sam to come in for a visit.

" _I'm so glad you're alive!"_ Kensi said, holding back tears as she hugged Callen. Having come so close to death, he relished his friend's voice and love. " _Me too, Kens."_

Deeks gave him a handshake and bro-hug as well. _"If you're technically back from the dead, does this make you a zombie?"_ he quipped with a grin.

Callen rolled his eyes and replied _"Yeah, the day I become a zombie, you'll be my first victim."_

" _Sup, G? How you feelin'?"_ Sam greeted him with a smile. Turning to Arya, who had been watching the interaction with silent interest, he greeted her, saying _"Salaam Alaykum, hamshira (sister)"_ Her eyes widened slightly at his familiar greeting. _"Alaykum salaam"_ she said shyly. Callen introduced her to Kensi and Deeks. Sam knelt in front of her and looked earnestly into her face as he said in Dari, _"Thank you for returning our friend and brother to us. We cannot express our gratitude enough for saving his life."_

She avoided his eyes, but nodded to acknowledge his thanks, and whispered _"You're most welcome."_

Sam smiled and rose, turning to Callen. _"Doctor says you both should be cleared for release this evening, and tomorrow afternoon, we go home. Hetty is practically coming unglued to see you alive and well, G."_ he said with a smile. _"Oh, and that paperwork has been filed, just awaiting approval from the powers that be. Given the circumstances, it shouldn't be a problem."_

" _Excellent!"_ said Callen enthusiastically. _"I hate hospitals."_ Arya said nothing, but her hidden smile was evident in her eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

Arya couldn't sleep. The mix of anticipation and anxiety formed a knot in her stomach. _"I'm really going to America! What if something goes wrong? I'm going to be so free! What if I can't survive?"_ she thought. After hours of tossing and turning, she finally got up, put on her scarf and crept outside. Stepping outside the barracks she shared with the team, she looked up to the sky. The moon was nearly full, and bright enough to bathe the earth in its glow. She took some comfort in its presence; _"At least I'll be seeing the same moon."_ She didn't hear the silent footfalls coming behind her; Sam, ever alert, had sensed her movements and followed her outside.

" _Are you alright?"_ he asked gently in Dari. His sudden presence still startled her however, and she jumped hard. Sam apologized.

" _No, it's alright. I'm….anxious for tomorrow. I don't know what to expect; it's all so new to me. I've never even left the province, let alone Afghanistan. My English is okay; I understand it spoken but I can't speak it well, and I can't read it at all, so I'm worried about how I'll be able to start my life there. So it's all a little overwhelming."_ She explained.

" _Understandable. But you'll have lots of help; there are programs that teach literacy all over, and we can help you with the immigration process so you can get your citizenship. When all else fails, you can always call G; he won't let you drown."_ Sam said reassuringly.

" _Why do you call Callen 'G'?"_ she asked.

" _That's his first initial. 'G' is a nickname; his first name….well, I'll let him tell you that when he's ready. It's a long story, and it's his to tell."_ He explained. _"Anyways, it's real late. We should both get some sleep."_ Sam held the door open for her, indicating his insistence that she go back inside. She obeyed and finally fell into a fitful sleep.

Arya was shaking slightly as she boarded the massive C-17 that would take them to the U.S. _"How does this beast fly?"_ she thought in utter amazement. She sat down in her seat beside Callen and tried to make sense of the harness.

" _Oh here, let me."_ Kensi said, helping her get buckled in properly. _"Thank you"_ Arya said, speaking English for the first time in front of all of them. _"SHE SPEAKS!"_ Deeks said jokingly, eliciting chuckles and smiles from the other 4. Callen turned to her and asked _"So Arya, what are you most excited to experience in America?"_

" _The ocean!"_ She said in English with no hesitation. _"I hear stories of it, but have not been there myself."_

" _Ohh, well you're in luck! We've got the best beaches in the U.S. right at home."_ Deeks said happily. _"I myself am looking forward to a whole WEEKEND of nothing but sand, surf, and sushi. How about you, Kensalina?"_

" _My bed and a long, hot bath are all I want, and not necessarily in that order."_ She replied. _"Callen?"_

" _A six-pack of ice-cold beer is calling to me pretty hard right about now. Sam?"_

" _I second that!"_ Sam said enthusiastically.

" _What is 'sushi'?"_ Arya asked.

" _Ohhhh, you have so much to learn, grasshopper."_ Deeks said with a laugh.

The team continued their chatter as the plane taxied down the runway and took off for home.

When they finally landed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, after 28 hours of being confined to the plane, all 5 travelers were eager to disembark. Arya let the others step off first, then stood at the end of the ramp. _"My first footstep on American soil."_ She thought and, taking a deep breath, stepped off the plane.

" _WELCOME TO AMERICA"_ the team cheered, hugging and high-fiving her.

One of the pilots called out to them. _"Agent Callen! You have an urgent message from a Henrietta Lange. She said to call her the moment you landed."_ Callen acknowledged and headed to the Headquarters to make the call.

She answered on the first ring. _"Mr. Callen, you have no idea how good it is to hear your voice. Unfortunately, I have some distressing news: your friend Arya's paperwork has been denied. Ironically, because she is from Maiwand, the very same place where the stolen shipment was found, they have deemed her "too suspicious" to grant a Green Card or Visa. So, the moment she stepped off of that plane, she was here illegally, and is at risk of IMMEDIATE deportation back to Afghanistan._ "

This news completely deflated Callen's mood. _"That's….that's not possible. She's already come this far, how….how could this have happened and nobody knew until we were already here?"_ He demanded angrily.

" _I know. The decision was made shortly after you took off, and I'm still trying to see what strings I can pull, but I have few left these days. Granger is working on her behalf also, but in the meantime, she is not to leave that base."_ Hetty replied.

" _She's going to be devastated."_ Callen said.

" _All is not lost yet, Mr. Callen. We won't give up until we've exhausted every option."_

" _I gave her my word, Hetty. I promised to do everything in my power to get her here."_

" _And you have! You've gotten her here, and now it's up to the system and the powers that be. You've still kept your promise, Mr. Callen. Don't mistake others' decisions as your failure."_ She admonished.

" _Alright. I will go tell her the news. Keep me posted."_ Callen hung up the phone. He sighed deeply, then went to find Arya and the others.

Upon hearing the news, Arya was beside herself with panic. _"YOU SAID THE PAPERS WENT THROUGH! YOU SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE!"_ She shouted at Callen in Dari as she sat on her bunk in her cell in the detention center; due to her status, she was now being detained until further notice.

" _I know, but it's out of my hands right now."_ He tried to calm her down. _"It's not over yet; both of my superiors are working to get the decision reversed, but you've got to stay calm and be patient and trust me when I say we are not going to send you back without a fight."_

" _Do you know what will happen to me if they send me back? Samar is dead, and even if he wasn't, marrying him would kill me. I have no family left, Callen! I have no one to arrange a marriage or offer dowry. No family will want me as a wife for their son; I have nothing to offer them but disgrace and burden. I cannot work, so I will be forced to sell WHATEVER I CAN to survive, and do you know what they do to 'those' women? I WOULD RATHER DIE HERE THAN BE SENT BACK!"_ Arya turned away from him and lay down, facing the wall. _"Please leave."_ She whispered.

Callen hung his head for a moment, then left. On his way down the hall, he punched the wall with his left hand in frustration. As he left the wing, he told the M.P. officer _"Keep an eye on her; I worry she may do something drastic."_ And he left to go get something to eat.

While the others ate, Callen picked at his food. Sam noticed his lack of appetite. _"Don't make me have you admitted to the infirmary here, G. You know they can strap you down and force nutrition into you again, and we all know how much you love hospitals."_ He said half-jokingly.

" _I just can't stop thinking about what she said."_ Callen responded. _"She's not entirely wrong; sending her back would be tantamount to negligent homicide. Unless she marries someone there, she has no way to-"_

Three sets of eyes stared back at him, waiting for him to finish. Instead, he set his jaw, got up, and walked quickly out of the mess.

After taking all night to sleep on it, Callen checked with Hetty the next morning regarding Arya's fate: the decision was unchanged, and she was to be deported that day. The next flight was at 1400; it was now 1000. Callen didn't have much time.

Someone opened the door to her cell. Arya turned and saw Callen enter. _"Did they fix it?"_ she asked anxiously as she sat up on the edge of the bunk.

" _No, but I may have."_ Callen knelt in front of her, and took a deep breath before explaining. _"You can't become a citizen just yet, but one of the ways an immigrant can live and work here is if they have a family member who is a U.S. citizen as a sponsor."_ He held up a small gold band to her. _"Such as a husband."_

Confused, Arya looked at the ring…and suddenly understood. _"You mean-"_

" _Yes. Arya, I made you a promise. A promise to do everything within MY power to get you here. I cannot change their decision in time to stop your deportation, but I can become your husband and sponsor to keep you here. You saved my life; now it's time for me to save yours."_ He stated and waited for her response.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews! Please let me know if the story seems to progress too fast or slow, or if details don't seem quite right.**

* * *

Arya met his gaze with tears in her eyes. _"You would do that? For me? You've known me for what, a week and a half, and you're willing to do this….to save the life of a near-stranger?"_

" _Yes. It's the only chance you've got to stay, and we don't have much time; your plane leaves in four hours to take you back."_ He said urgently.

" _Then yes, I accept your proposal, Callen."_

* * *

Grisha Aleksandrovich Nicolaev Callen and Arya Fatima Saadah were married 3 hours later, on October 15th, on Venice Beach (Arya was allowed off the base while in NCIS custody). It was casual and very intimate; only Sam, Kensi, Deeks, Eric, Nell, Hetty, and Granger attended. Sam, in accordance with both California and Islamic law, officiated the ceremony, with Kensi and Deeks as witnesses. Callen wore khakis and a white linen button-down, Arya wore a simple long-sleeved white dress and _Hijab_ ; it was the first time she allowed Callen to see her face. The moment the ceremony was completed, the marriage license was signed by all necessary parties, and Hetty personally took it to a friend in the Los Angeles County Clerk's office for finalization. The marriage was official a mere 17 minutes before Arya's flight was set to leave.

While Hetty was handling the certificate, the rest of the team had sprung into action immediately after the ceremony to put together a reception (Callen and Arya returned to the base until Hetty was finished, in case they were too late.). Their reception was also simple; held in Callen's own backyard later that evening, Nell and Kensi handled decorating the backyard: stringing lights, setting up a long table and folding chairs Sam brought from his house, and creating a dance space on the patio. Eric brought some sound equipment and set up a playlist from his laptop. Sam and Deeks handled the food: Oven-roasted chicken with Rosemary and Garlic, Red Potatoes, quartered and oven-fried with olive oil, sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, Grilled Asparagus with Lemon, and a fresh fruit salad with vanilla yogurt. While dinner was being prepared, Eric went and picked up the newlyweds. Over dinner, they enjoyed the company of their friends and (new) family.

After dinner, Eric, acting as Emcee, introduced the couple.

" _Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and pleasure to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Grisha Callen!"_

Once the applause and cheers died down, he continued. _"At this time, will Mr. Callen please escort the Mrs. onto the dance floor for your first dance as Husband and Wife?"._ More applause and a couple of whistles were heard as Callen, blushing slightly, took Arya by the hand and led her to the floor as the beginning strains of Jason Mraz's _"I Won't Give Up"_ resonated around them. Arya, who had never danced with a man before and having no idea what to do, froze up.

" _I don't know what to do!"_ She whispered, looking up at him nervously.

Callen smiled and took her hand. _"Just follow me."_ He began to move, holding her close and leading her through the dance. Once the song finished, they went back to sit at the table, where Sam started the toasts.

" _G, I really and truly am happy and proud to be standing here, right now. I've gotta be honest, I was starting to lose hope it would ever happen."_ Several chuckles and nods of agreement occurred around the table. _"But here we are, witness to the fact that miracles DO happen! Congratulations, Partner._ _To my brother and new sister. May you find all the happiness you deserve."_

Deeks went next. _"Well, uh, welcome to America, Arya."_ he started with a laugh. _"I think you may have set a new record for getting hitched after arriving on American soil."_ More laughs around the table. Arya smiled shyly. _"But seriously, Callen is a really beloved member of our team, our family. And we're just incredibly happy to see this day sooner than we thought would come. I hope that you guys are as happy together as Kens and I are. To Mr. and Mrs. G. Callen!"_

Kensi, Eric, and Nell gave their toasts. Hetty rose and cleared her throat.

 _"Grisha. Everyone here knows you and I have a long history. I have watched you grow from that little boy I once knew into the man you are now. And I am damn proud of that man."_ her voice cracked a little with the emotion behind that last statement. _"Arya, I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for bringing him back to us. Grisha is a good man, and I have confidence you'll be a good wife and life partner for him. To the Bride and Groom!"_

Granger surprised everyone. _"Callen, I know we've butted heads in the past. We'll probably continue to butt heads from time to time. But one thing I can't deny is that you're a damn good leader to this team. And I know that same leadership will carry over into your marriage. The one thing I will tell both of you is to be patient; you've got a hell of a learning curve to handle, and there's gonna be some challenges. But be patient with each other. Especially when it comes to children; one Callen is hard enough to tolerate, and I, for one, am not quite ready for your offspring to add to my misery."_ Everyone laughed heartily, surprised by the warmth from Granger to Callen.

* * *

Not long after, the yawns began as the team began feeling their exhaustion. As everyone began to leave, a cold chill crept through Arya's body when she remembered what would be expected to happen on one's wedding night. After bidding the last of them goodnight, Arya went and started cleaning up the plates on the counter and in the sink. She tried to calm her nerves, but the fear grew in her chest until she began to tremble. She heard Callen close the front door. Gripping the edge of the sink to steady herself, she wasn't sure if she would vomit or faint. Callen seemed to sense something was wrong; he paused at the doorway of the kitchen and leaned against the frame, hands in his pockets.

" _Arya?"_ he said softly. The knot in her stomach rocketed to her throat, cutting off any answer. Her eyes filled with tears as the panic took over her body.

Callen stepped forward and put his hand on her arm. She stiffened, her eyes fixed on the faucet in front of her. He felt her trembling and tugged her to face him, but she resisted. _"Arya, what's-"_ he tried to ask, still pulling her toward him, but she cut him off.

" _Let go."_ She said in a strained whisper.

Confusion set in for Callen. _"Arya!"_ He said a little more urgently.

" _I SAID 'LET GO'!"_ Arya said firmly, trying to push him back while backing away. When he didn't let go of her arm, she started swinging with the other fist. He caught her wrists, and she sank to the floor, sobbing and pleading.

" _Please don't do this. I can't…not yet, please. Please don't hurt me."_ She said over and over.

Realization finally hit Callen. He dropped to his knees in front of her and pulled her into his arms. _"I'm not, I'm not, Arya. Relax, I'm not. Shh, it's okay, it's okay."_ After a minute, she relaxed a little, and he pulled back, taking her face in his hands. _"Look at me. Look at my eyes, Arya."_ She obeyed, and he could see the terror in them. _"I'm not going to force you. I would never do that; I'm not that kind of man. I know that's what happens in Maiwand, but not here, not with me. I never expected anything from you tonight. I know we're married, but I'm not really the "husband" type."_ He sighed and touched his forehead to hers before continuing. _"We have a lot to learn about each other. And that will take time, but for now, just know that the ONLY expectation I have for you is to relax. Okay?"_

She nodded, and he used his thumbs to wipe the tears from her face. _"You can come and go as you please, you don't have to be afraid of me…."_ He trailed off, his thoughts whirling. " _I have an idea. Come on!"_ Callen stood and pulled her to her feet, then led her to the spare room he used as an office of sorts. Taking a sheet of paper from the printer and a pair of pencils, he led her to his room. Turning on the light, he went and sat on the bed. _"Come"_ he said, patting the bed. She obliged, brow furrowed in confusion. _"What are we doing?"_ she asked as he handed her a paper and pencil.

" _We are getting to know each other. We ask each other what we want to know, and write down the answers, if we want. Ready? What is…your birthday?"_

" _June 10_ _th_ _, 1988"_ she replied.

" _Okay….your turn."_ Callen said as he wrote it down.

" _What is yours?"_ Arya asked.

" _March 11_ _th_ _, 1970. What is…your favorite color?"_

" _Purple"_ she answered. _"What is your favorite food?"_

" _Ooh, that's tough….I love a good cheeseburger. What's your favorite time of day?"_

" _Sunrise, I think. It means a new day is starting, full of potential. Ok, my turn….why did you introduce yourself as 'Callen', when your name is 'Grisha'?"_

Callen sighed. _"Well…habit, really. I usually introduce myself that way to strangers, first off."_

Arya interjected _"But your team either calls you 'G' or 'Callen' or 'Mr. Callen'. Why don't *they* call you 'Grisha'?"_

" _It's a long story."_ He said

" _I have all night."_ She said patiently.

" _Alright….I didn't know my name until about 6 months ago. I…my mother was killed when I was a little boy. I never knew my father, so I was placed in foster care here in the States. Nobody else seemed to know my name, so my papers all just said 'G. Callen'. So all my life, I've introduced myself as either 'G' or 'Callen' to people. Usually Callen; people ask fewer questions with that one. Anyway, I finally met my father about 6 months ago, and he told me my name."_ Callen explained.

" _I'm sorry about your family."_ Arya whispered. _"What do you want me to call you?"_

" _Whichever is fine. But it's okay; I've made my own family. Now, my turn…."_

And so on they talked into the wee hours of the night.


	10. Chapter 10

**As always, thank you all for your reviews! I'm really enjoying writing this for you all!**

The next morning, Callen awoke at his usual time. He got up and checked on Arya, who was still sound asleep in her room, then went to the kitchen for coffee. As he prepped the coffeepot, his eye was drawn to the unfamiliar glint on his left hand. The gold wedding band was simple, but the feeling of its presence was foreign to him. _"I can't believe I'm a husband."_ He thought to himself. With a disbelieving chuckle, he left the coffeepot to brew and continued getting ready for work. The last few weeks had been the craziest whirlwind of his life; ever since he left for Afghanistan, his world had been turned on its head. He hated leaving Arya alone so soon, but didn't have much choice; the team was up to their ears in the Missing Weapons case. Grabbing his watch off the dresser, he walked back to the kitchen to pour his coffee and was startled to see Arya standing in the kitchen, cup in her hand. She held it out to him with a shy smile.

" _Good morning"_ she said in English. He raised an eyebrow before replying.

" _Good morning yourself."_ He took the cup. _"Thanks. You sleep okay?"_

Taking another mug from the cupboard, she replied. _"Yes, thank you. You?"_

" _Surprisingly well; first time I've had another person sleeping here in….forever. Not really used to it yet."_ As she poured her coffee, his eyes swept over her rumpled hair and pajamas. _"You know, you're kind of adorable first thing in the morning."_ He said with a smile.

She blushed and tried to hide her smile. _"Thank you. You look much better, though; at least you're dressed already."_

" _Yeah, well. I'm sorry I have to leave you."_

" _It's okay, I'll be fine. I'm sure I'll find something to do while you're gone."_

" _Sure. Just, do me a favor: don't leave the house yet. It's a huge city, and I'd hate for you to get lost. There's a landline here, but we should get you a cell phone…maybe I'll do that today, if I have time."_

" _Yeah, okay. That's fine."_ Arya said. Checking his watch, Callen finished his coffee and gathered his wallet, keys, phone, and badge.

" _Okay, I'm off. My cell number is here on the fridge, if you need to reach me."_ He made his way toward the door. Unsure of whether to kiss her goodbye or not, they stood there awkwardly for a moment before she broke the silence.

" _Bye Callen. See you when you get home."_

" _Yeah, um, see you then."_ He opened the door and left, pausing on the step until she locked the door behind him.

Callen parked at the office and headed inside, dreading the impending jokes and ribbing from his teammates. Walking to his desk, he avoided their eyes as long as he could. He sat down, aware of all 3 sets riveted on him. Finally, he couldn't take it any longer.

" _Good morning."_ He said to Kensi, then turned to Sam. _"I slept fine, thank you, and"_ looking pointedly at Deeks, _"No, nothing happened last night except sweet, sweet sleep."_ The other three agents chuckled until Eric's whistle interrupted them.

" _We'll have plenty of time to talk, partner."_ Sam said with a smirk.

" _What makes you think I have anything to tell?"_ Callen shot back.

" _We all know you don't sleep. And y_ _our face says plenty."_ Returned Sam as they reached the OPS center.

" _What do we have, Eric?"_ Callen asked, desperate to derail the conversation at hand.

Arya spent the morning puttering around the house. She had already gone through the closet and dresser in her room, trying on the clothes she'd found in there; wondering where they'd come from, she made a mental note to ask Callen later. Most of them were modest, but stylish; whoever had chosen them had taken great care to keep her religion in mind for clothing preferences. She had finally chosen a deep purple tunic dress with gold embroidery around the hem and some black leggings. Brushing and braiding her hair, she looked at herself in the mirror. She could hardly believe that the woman staring back at her was really here, in America. _"If only Mama could see me now…or Papa…oh, Papa."_ She thought sadly. Taking a deep breath to quell the grief, she rose and looked around the house. It was sparsely furnished, with no wall decorations, save for a clock in the living room that read 1:45. Growing bored, she went to the kitchen to find something to eat. She found an apple in the fridge and started eating it. As she looked around the kitchen, she had an idea. Searching the kitchen, she took stock of what ingredients they had; she didn't find much. Picking up the phone, she dialed the number Callen had left for her. It rang and rang, then went to his voicemail.

" _Hi Callen, um, it's me, Arya. Um, I just had a question to ask you. Call me back when you can. Bye."_

She put the phone back down on its cradle. She waited impatiently for him to call back. _"Oh, this is silly. There must be a bazaar close enough."_ She thought. _"I won't get lost; I'm sure I won't go far."_ Covering her hair with a hijab and putting on some black flats, she took some money out of the jar Callen kept near the door to empty his pockets of loose change and small bills. She wasn't sure how much she'd need, but $10 seemed enough. She tucked it into the small cross-body bag she'd found in the closet. With no key, she decided to go out through the back and leave the back door unlocked. Climbing the side fence with ease, she walked out to the street and turned left…..just as the house phone rang.

Callen and Sam were heading back to the OSP center after an attempt at apprehending a suspect in their case. After a brief chase, during which Callen's phone buzzed unknown in his pocket, they finally had their man in custody.

" _What happened to you back there?"_ Callen asked Sam as they walked to the Challenger.

" _What do you mean?"_ Replied Sam.

" _I did all the running AND the tackling AND the cuffing. You gettin' soft on me, partner?"_

" _You looked like you had it under control, and I didn't want to get in the way."_ Sam said with feigned innocence.

" _In the way my ass! I think I just did enough cardio for the BOTH of us for the rest of the week."_ Callen said as he opened his door and got in.

" _G, please. You ran like, fifty yards. I ran more than that in a single drive playing high school football."_ Sam got in and started the engine.

Callen discovered he had missed a call and listened to the message, then returned Arya's call.

 _Riiiiiiing…riiiiiiiiing…riiiiiiiiing…*click* Hi, I'm not home. Leave a message. *Beep*_

Callen hung up and frowned. _"That's odd."_

" _What's wrong, G?"_ Sam asked

" _Arya called and left me a message. When I just called her, no answer."_ He looked at his phone, then out the window. _"I hope she's okay."_

" _Wanna roll by the house on our way back?"_ Sam asked.

" _Yeah, let's do that, please."_ Callen said as he dialed the house again. Still, no answer.

They pulled up to the house 15 minutes later. Callen tried not to let his worry push him faster than necessary, but he couldn't help it. Unlocking the door and stepping inside, he called out her name. When she didn't answer immediately, his worry level shot to DEFCON 2. He and Sam swept the house, looking for any sign of her. When Callen looked in her room, he noticed the empty space where the black flats had been amongst the neat row of her shoes.

" _I'm checking the backyard; pair of her shoes are missing."_ He informed Sam as he headed toward the back door. It was unlocked; _"Surely she's out here."_ He hoped. To his dismay, she wasn't there, either. Callen went back in the house, looking for any clue to her whereabouts.

" _Where might she have gone, G?"_

" _No idea, Sam. Damnit, I told her not to leave the house!"_ Callen shouted in frustration, worry blossoming in his stomach. His phone rang; checking the number, he saw it was Deeks.

" _Yeah, we're coming as soon as we can; I've got a situation at my place."_ Callen said.

" _Uh, yeah, I know."_ Came Deeks' reply.

" _What do you mean, 'you know'?"_

" _I just got a call from an LAPD buddy; says they've got a woman matching Arya's description at the Culver Station. Says she's your wife."_ Deeks said

Callen's heart sank. _"How in the hell did she get there?"_ he asked, shocked.

" _Apparently, she got lost and a neighbor got concerned. Called police about 'a suspicious, foreign woman wandering around the neighborhood'. When they arrived, she ran and…."_

" _Oh god….and what, Deeks?"_

" _They arrested her and took her to the station. She told them you were NCIS and so, they called me."_

" _Okay, thanks. Let Hetty know I'll be there as soon as I can be. Sam is on his way."_ And Callen hung up.

" _Where we goin', G?"_ Sam asked.

" _Back to OPS. Once we get there, I'm taking my car and going to the LAPD. Arya's there; she's been arrested."_

" _FOR WHAT?"_ Sam nearly shouted.

Callen was already back out the front door _. "For running from the cops when they showed up after a neighbor called them on her. I'll let you know more when I know."_ Locking the door, they hurried to the Challenger and sped off.


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you all again for the wonderful encouragement! To French Fan, the reason LAPD only called Deeks is because of his status as liason; the person who would actually come down would have to be a relative, hence, Callen. Hope that clears it up. :)**

* * *

Callen walked into the precinct and showed his badge to the officer at the front desk.

" _I'm here about my wife, her name's Arya Callen. She was arrested and brought here an hour or so ago. I'm here to clear things up and take her home."_ He said.

" _One moment please."_ The woman picked up a phone and pressed an extension. While she spoke to the person on the other end, Callen fidgeted impatiently. After what seemed like an eternity, the woman hung up. _"Through this door, take a right, then the last door on your left."_ She said and buzzed him in. He walked through the door and down the hall to the door she had specified. Entering the jail block, he showed his credentials to the officer on duty, who led him to her cell.

She was sitting on the bench, face in her hands. At the sound of their approach, she looked up. Seeing Callen with the officer, she jumped up and gripped the bars.

" _What the hell did you do?"_ Callen asked angrily. _"I told you not to leave the house!"_

" _I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I wanted to surprise you and….oh, it all just fell apart!"_ she said through her tears.

" _I-I don't get it. Surprise me…with what?"_ he asked.

She sniffed and wiped her sleeve across her face as the story spilled out in a mix of English and Dari. _"I wanted to cook you dinner. You know, for our first meal alone together as husband and wife. I wanted to make you something and surprise you when you came home from work, but when I checked the kitchen, there wasn't much I could use. So, I thought I'd go to the bazaar and find some ingredients, but I didn't know where it was, so I called you and you didn't answer, so I left a message and then I waited, but I thought I could find it, that it couldn't be too far and so I left. I was afraid you wouldn't call me back in time for dinner to be ready when you walked in. I took some money out of your jar by the door and went out the back because I didn't have a key to lock the front door. I climbed the side fence and started walking, but everywhere I turned, it was just houses, houses, more houses. So I tried to go back, but I got turned around. Suddenly, a police car drove up and the officer got out and I tried to ignore him and just keep walking, but then he started following me and I panicked and ran. But he caught up to me and threatened to shoot me, so I stopped."_ She said, stopping to catch her breath.

" _But why did you run, Arya?"_ Callen asked.

" _Because…all my life, I've always been afraid of the police. Back in Afghanistan, they looked for women who were out in public without a male escort. I was afraid he would arrest me or beat me for being out without you. I thought maybe that's why you'd wanted me to stay home, but it was too late to go back. Oh god, I'm sorry I disobeyed and left. I just wanted to do something nice for you, that's all."_ She explained.

The officer who arrested her came in. Callen explained the situation, and the officer nodded in understanding. _"I figured when she couldn't speak English very well that she probably got lost. It wasn't until she ran that I got concerned. I didn't mean to frighten her, but yelling 'Stop, Police!' didn't seem to help, so I cornered her and drew my piece, which got her attention real quick. No charges will be filed. Holmes, go ahead and cut her loose."_ He said to the guard officer, who opened the cell door. Arya went straight into Callen's arms and held on to him as if her life depended on it. He hugged her for a minute. _"Thanks guys. It won't happen again."_ He said to the officers. _"Come on Arya, let's get you home."_

* * *

Dinner was coming along nicely; under Callen's careful guidance, Arya was preparing not only their first homecooked meal together, but her first American staple: Oven-Fried Chicken. She had thrown together a mouthwatering combination of spices with the flour and now had it frying nicely after Callen had shown her how to set it up; being accustomed to cooking over open flame, it was her first time using a modern stove/oven. While it cooked, she prepared the rest of their meal. Callen was in the living room, watching the Lakers-Kings game; the Kings were up 65-60 in the 3rd. When the timer went off, Arya removed the chicken and Callen came in to check on it.

" _Looks good. Smells good. Looks like your first American meal is a success!"_ he said with a grin. _"Here."_ He took down the plates and handed her one. They dished up and sat down. Arya, breath held in anticipation, watched Callen take the first bite. He closed his eyes in appreciation, then looked at her and nodded his approval. She let out her breath with a smile, then dug in herself. After a few minutes, Callen broke the silence.

" _So….we've gotta figure this whole…marriage thing….out."_ Callen said uncomfortably.

" _Yeah…I guess we do."_ Arya said nervously.

" _I'm going to get right to the point: there's a reason I haven't been married yet. I'm not exactly 'husband' material. I work odd hours, sometimes not even coming home for days, as you've seen. I don't trust people in general, with few exceptions, so 'falling in love' is not something I do easily. I've had a few girlfriends, but obviously nothing came of them. And according to Sam, I'm a colossal pain in the ass."_ He smirked. _"So, here's the deal: I don't have romantic feelings toward you, and I don't expect you to have them toward me. Obviously, you're welcome to stay here as long as you like; if, down the road, after you get your citizenship, you decide to leave and even get a divorce, that's fine. I won't stop you from doing what you want, but I also won't force any of the usual norms on you that are associated with marriage: you don't have to play homemaker or worry about anything physical. Tomorrow, I'll get you a cell phone so you can leave the house safely. Also, I strongly recommend that you take a literacy course; the library is a good place to find free help with that."_ He paused before continuing. _"Your thoughts?"_

Arya was a little at a loss; this wasn't entirely how she thought this conversation would go. _"Um, yeah. Sounds good."_ She said, trying to hide the ache in her heart; she was married, but she wasn't loved. _Get it together, woman! Life is not a story; sometimes, you have to sacrifice some things you want to get what you need. He gave you life; what more could you ask for?_ She thought.

" _Ok, good. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I can't guarantee I'll always have an answer, but you're welcome to ask."_ Callen said as he finished his plate. _"Dinner was fantastic."_ He said, changing the subject. _"You cooked, I'll clean. Fair?"_

" _Sure."_ Arya replied distractedly. She finished her final bite, then took her plate to the sink. _"I'm going to shower, then. Thank you for cleaning up."_ She said, leaving him in the kitchen. Once in the shower, she gave herself over to the tears she'd held back. Even though he was in the house, she felt incredibly alone. Drying her eyes, she washed up and got out. She dried off and dressed, then went to sit in her room a bit. Laying on top of the bed, her back to the open door, she stared at the wall in silence, trying to calm her thoughts. Exhausted by the day's events, she soon fell asleep.

* * *

Callen was deep in thought, too. _"I am such an ass. "_ To be fair, this was ENTIRELY new territory to him; legally, he was a husband, but emotionally he wasn't. He was sharing his living space with this unfamiliar woman, unsure of their roles and boundaries, and it felt...uncomfortably tolerable. _"At least it's not *so* lonely. I mean, we can talk, right? Shit, how *do* I handle her? Do I talk to her? Leave her alone? Treat her as a friend? A roommate?"_ He sighed and tipped his head back against the couch. He heard the bathroom door open, then the squeak of her body pressing on her bed. He hated having this thick tension and uncertainty between them. He rose and stretched, steeling himself for the next conversation. After a moment, he walked to her room. The door was open, and he peeked inside. She was lying on the bed, curled on her side, facing away from him.

" _Arya?"_ Callen said softly. No answer. He walked into her room silently until he could see her face; her eyes were closed and her breathing was even. Reaching down to the foot of the bed, he grabbed the edge of the comforter and gently pulled it up over her legs. Turning off the light, he left the room as silently as he entered it.

He went to bed, but laid there staring at the ceiling for over an hour before sleep came.


	12. Chapter 12

**RIP Miguel. It showed the depth of your talent to take a character we initially despised and made him into one we will miss.**

* * *

" _Look what the cat dragged in! You look as beat as one of Kamran's stuffed animals."_ Sam remarked with a grin upon Callen's arrival to the office.

Callen responded with as threatening a glare as he could muster. He set his satchel on the desk and sat down in his chair.

" _Or something Monty found in the backyard."_ Deeks chimed in, also grinning.

Callen looked at him. _"I don't want to know what your dog might find in your backyard, Deeks. Knowing you, it could be any number of horrifying things."_ This elicited a laugh from Kensi.

" _Hey, I'll have you know my backyard is an oasis. It is primo terra firma for relaxation and meditation, something you, Oh Fearless Leader, seem to be in dire need of. You're welcome to drop by anytime for some R &M." _Deeks retorted.

They were interrupted by Eric's signal….a blast from a Shofar. All four team members looked at him with a mix of confusion and disbelief.

Sam spoke. _"Is that a-"_

" _Shofar"_ Eric finished. _"Yes, made of a single Ram's horn, it is a common form of signaling in many ancient and modern Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean tribes. In this case, it signals 'We have a case.'"_ He said before turning around and heading up to OPS.

Thankful for the distraction, Callen couldn't get up the stairs fast enough. _"What'd you got, Nell?"_

" _Our main suspect, Lieutenant Grimes. He was found murdered in his home this morning. Execution-style, single shot 9mm, no casings found at the scene."_ The petite analyst reported.

" _Ah, great."_ Said an annoyed Kensi. _"Well, at least we seem to have had the right guy."_

Navy Corpsman Lieutenant Jason Grimes was their prime suspect in the weapons theft case that took the team to Afghanistan. He was the corpsman who coordinated the shipment of the weapons from Camp Leatherneck to Delaram. The team had already brought him in for questioning yesterday, but he gave nothing up, and they didn't have enough to hold him, so they were forced to cut him loose.

" _Any idea who might want him dead?"_ Deeks asked.

" _My guess is, he had a contact here in the U.S., since Grimes hasn't set foot in Afghanistan since his tour ended in 2010. He had no way to coordinate the theft of the shipment overseas, so I'm thinking he had another contact here, who was in contact with the insurgents there. Whoever it is covered their tracks really well."_

Sam nodded. _"If that's the case, then I wonder if the shipment was only going to be used overseas."_

Callen added _"And who else could it be? Sleeper cell terrorist, or another corpsman?"_

" _We'll go talk to his unit. Hopefully they can give us an idea of who might want Grimes dead."_ Sam said.

" _And we'll go see what we can find at the scene."_ Kensi finished.

" _Maybe Grimes had a decent backyard. If I see any inspirational features, I'll send you a pic."_ Deeks said to Callen, who chuckled as he descended the stairs.

* * *

" _So, how's it going on 'the home front'?"_ Sam asked with a slight twinkle in his eye.

" _It's….going."_ Callen replied slowly, looking out the window of the Challenger. _"Not used to having a housemate yet. It feels weird, but not bad. It's like I'm in limbo; having a hard time discerning what our actual roles are and how to behave. I mean, I want to talk to her and get to know her better and watch tv and eat together, but…."_ He trailed off.

" _You're afraid to fall for her."_ Sam finished knowingly.

Callen nodded and added _"Or lead her on. I do care about her as a person, and I don't want to give her false hope of something that may not happen."_

Sam's heart ached for his friend. As a happily married man, he couldn't imagine life without Michelle and the kids. Despite Callen's "tough-guy, lone-wolf" exterior, Sam knew that deep down, his partner wished for the same connection.

" _G, you don't have to be afraid of falling in love. Fall for her! You're married to the woman, for God's sake! You've already done what tons of people can't do, what we certainly NEVER thought we'd see you do, so you now just have to do what dating usually accomplishes and get to know her more."_ Sam implored.

Callen was still uncertain. _"And what if it doesn't work out? What if we just end up miserable, unable to stand each other?"_

" _What if you don't?"_ Sam asked sagely as they pulled up to the base. After showing their credentials to the gate guard, they went in to ask around Grimes's unit.

* * *

Deeks and Kensi were at the crime scene, processing what they could. Deeks examined the possible entry points, but found no signs of forced entry. Kensi examined the bedroom itself.

" _No signs of forced entry, Kensalina. I did, however, notice that a flowerpot on the front porch was out of place. Perp might've kicked it on his way out."_

" _So Grimes must've known his killer. But he was shot in the head while he was asleep."_ Kensi mused aloud.

" _It's possible that a lock was picked on the side door. I doubt this person would risk being seen picking the front door lock."_ Deeks replied.

Kensi's eyes widened. _"Unless he didn't have to pick the lock. Where do most people store a spare house key?"_ she walked quickly to the front porch. Deeks followed.

" _Under the doormat, usually. Although I prefer to make mine a little harder to find-"_ he said.

" _Like under a flowerpot?"_ Kensi asked as she held up the disturbed pot. Under where it had sat, the faint outline of a key could be seen.

" _I'll be damned. Killer knew there was a key there. Which then begs the question: Did they know there was a key because they've been invited here before, or were they just casing the place and got lucky that Grimes kept a spare key accessible?"_ Deeks said. His cellphone rang.

" _Go ahead, Sam"_ he put it on speaker so Kensi could hear.

" _Nobody in Grimes's unit knew of anything suspicious on base. However, a couple guys in his unit remembered seeing him at a bar with a man named Farooq. Seems they were good buddies from high school. What caught their attention was how skittish Farooq seemed around them."_ Sam reported.

" _That would make sense then; our killer seemed to be familiar with Grimes. Evidence here points toward the killer having knowledge of a house key hidden on the porch. We think they used that to gain entry."_ Kensi said.

" _We got the name of the bar. We're going over there now to see if the staff might remember anything. Eric and Nell are already working on ID'ing this guy."_ Sam said.

" _Ok. We'll let you know if we find anything else."_ Deeks said, hanging up.


	13. Chapter 13

**Thank you all again for the lovely reviews! A little more humor in this chapter.**

Callen and Sam entered _The Shady Lady,_ a local dive bar near the base. It was empty, save for one drunk nursing a drink at the far end of the bar. Approaching the bar, they were greeted by a heavy-set man in his 50's.

" _What can I get for you gentlemen?"_ he asked.

Callen and Sam showed their badges. _"NCIS. We're looking for information on this man."_ Sam held up his phone. " _Name's Farooq. Rumor has it he's been seen here before. You know anything about him?"_ Sam asked.

The bartender studied the photo on Sam's phone. _"Nah, can't say I do. But I'm just the day guy. Not much clientele, as you can see. Most of the guys that come in during daylight are regulars, so I know a face. We get most of our business after dark. Eva, she's the one you want to talk to; she's the night bartender. She'll come on about 6 tonight."_

Callen and Sam thanked him and left. Once in the Challenger, Callen called his house to check on Arya.

 _Ring…Ring…"Hello?"_

" _Hi Arya, it's me. How's everything?"_

" _I'm fine. Just sitting here resting after cleaning the house."_ She answered.

Callen looked at the phone as if it had suddenly grown wings. Then, putting it back to his ear, he spoke.

" _Cleaning….the house? Um, you know you don't HAVE to do that, right?"_

" _Well, what else do you expect me to do? I don't understand much of what's being said on the tv, I can't read any of your books, I can't leave the house…I was bored. So I cleaned."_ Arya answered with a slight edge of annoyance to her voice.

Callen felt a twinge of guilt. " _Right, I haven't forgotten to get you a phone. I will pick it up this afternoon. Oh, also I might be a little late chasing down a lead."_ He heard her sigh on the other end. _"I'm sorry. Maybe I can see if Kensi or Nell could stop by after work and hang out with you until I get home? I forget sometimes how lonely it is being isolated."_ He said sympathetically.

" _Sure. That sounds great."_ Arya said with a little more enthusiasm.

" _Okay. See you later."_ He hung up.

Sam, who had been listening, asked _"So what did she do?"_

Still thunderstruck, Callen answered _"Cleaned my house."_ This elicited a snort from Sam.

" _And she's still there? She must not have gotten to your closet."_

" _Hey, contrary to the urban legends, I do NOT keep the mummified remains of my enemies in there."_ Callen said with a laugh.

" _Maybe not ALL of them. You'd need a basement."_ Sam said, smiling.

Chuckling, Callen asked _"So, how about that Lakers game last night?"_

* * *

Callen parked in the driveway at 4:30pm. He had just enough time to show Arya how to use her new smartphone and meet up with Sam at _The Shady Lady_ by 6:00. He opened the door and immediately he noticed two things: the house smelled….fresh. And looked so bright. Arya had opened every window in thehouse, which let in both air and light. And all of the curtains were missing. Callen looked around; the house looked different like this. It seemed more like ahome, less like a Fortress of Solitude. He heard a noise from the back of the house and, setting down the bag from Verizon, went to investigate. Looking out the back door, he saw her in the backyard, hanging the curtains that *were* in the living room over a clothesline. " _Since when do we have a clothesline?"_ hethought, mildly bewildered. He continued watching her silently for a moment. The graceful way she moved, bending to pick up a panel from the basket at her feet and throwing it over the line, in one fluid movement. Her head was uncovered, hair pulled back into a braid. She looked so….free. It made Callen's heart swell just a little bit, seeing her like this and knowing it was his doing. He could have watched her all afternoon, but he had to meet Sam in just over an hour, so he opened the door. Arya jumped a little, not expecting the door to open, but calmed once she saw it was him.

" _Hello there! I didn't know you were home. I thought you were going to be late."_ She said with a smile that nearly stopped him in his tracks.

" _Yeah, uh, I still have some work to do, but nothing I can do until tonight. Um, got your phone. It's in the_ _house."_ Callen said, suddenly feeling shy. _What the_ _hell, Callen? You never get like this! What is wrong_ _with you?_ He thought to himself.

She smiled again, and he thought he might stop breathing. _"Oh excellent! Will you show me how to use_ _it? Do you have time?"_ she asked excitedly.

" _Yeah, let's do it."_ He managed. They headed into the house together.

Arya sat at the kitchen table while Callen opened her phone. It was an iPhone 7, identical to Callen's, except this one was Rose Gold instead of black. Her eyeswent wide; it was the first time she had seen such modern technology, as the cell phones back in her country were often several years behind. She wasexpecting a flip-phone; this thing was….beautiful.

" _That….that's a phone?"_ she whispered incredulously.

" _Yes. And it's yours."_ Callen said with a smile.

" _I'm afraid to touch it. What if I break it?"_ she asked nervously.

Callen chuckled. _"It's tougher than it looks. Kind of like its owner…"_ he said, eliciting a slight flush in her cheeks. He picked it up and showed her how to turn iton.

" _According to the paperwork….here's your number: (213)-555-2792. If you ever forget it, just remember_ _the last four digits spell A-R-Y-A. I did that on_

 _purpose."_ Callen said with a grin.

" _Oh, that's clever."_ Arya replied.

" _To make a call, you either dial it-"_ Callen demonstrated dialing. _"Or, you can swipe right on a contact in_ _your 'Contacts' folder here."_ And showed her whereto find the "Contacts" folder. His name popped up on the screen, and he swiped right. The screen showed it was calling his number and he pulled out hisphone and held it up. It rang, and he answered it, handing her the new phone with a grin.

" _Hello?"_ he said.

She looked at him like he was nuts, still holding her phone while hearing his voice twice.

" _Hello? Are you going to talk or just prank-call me?"_ he demanded playfully.

Arya put the phone to her ear. _"Excuse me, but I did not prank-call you. And don't you take that tone_ _with me, or you'll never find a matching pair of socks_ _again as long as you live!"_ she responded with mock-indignation. Callen's face turned serious.

" _Oh my. You're right, I'm sorry. Just please, don't hurt my socks! They're innocent, they had nothing to_ _do with this! I beg of you!"_ he said with as much sincerity he could muster (which wasn't much, considering the grin he unsuccessfully suppressed. He hung up and then showed her how to answer a call and end a text message. It was almost 5:30 when he realized the time.

" _Whoa, I gotta go. Um, I texted Kensi and Nell your number. Kensi said she might stop by around 6:30, so_ _keep an eye out for her call. Don't wait for me to_ _eat, just go ahead. I'll probably grab something with_ _Sam. Okay?"_ Callen felt an oddly overwhelming urge to stay home with her. He shrugged it off and, giving her a quick side-hug, left her alone with her phone. Not long after he left, her phone rang.

" _Hello?"_

" _Hi Arya, it's Kensi. Callen said you wanted some company?"_

" _Oh, yes. He told me you may come over?"_

" _Yes, I can be there around 6:30. Is that okay?"_

" _Yes, that's fine. Um, we don't have much to eat, I'm afraid."_

" _No worries, I'll get something. You eat chicken, right?"_

" _Yes, I do."_

" _Okay great. I'll see you in a bit!"_

She hurried out to the yard to finish hanging the curtains before Kensi arrived.

* * *

Callen arrived at _The Shady Lady_ a few minutes past 6. He spotted Sam at the bar and took a seat beside him. The bartender, Eva, was busy with several patrons; it seemed that 6:00 was the start of Happy Hour. They patiently waited until the rush died down a bit before getting her attention.

" _What can I get you gentlemen?"_ Eva asked in a firm, but friendly tone.

" _Just some information. We can see you're busy, so we won't take long. We're looking for info on this guy."_ Sam held up his phone to show her the photo. _"His name's Farooq. Can you tell us anything about him?"_

" _Yeah, I know of him. Bud Light Lime. Prick comes in every Friday night like clockwork. Gets here at 6:30, tries every bad pickup line in the book on anything with tits that walks in here, then hangs with his military buddy until he's too drunk to stand anymore. His buddy's a nice guy, though. Jack & Coke. Never had a problem with him. Excuse me a second." _Eva said, heading over to serve another customer. Sam and Callen observed the patrons in the bar. Many of them seemed to be service personnel. Presently, Eva returned.

" _Sorry guys. Yeah, about this creep. He hung out with his buddy, but didn't seem to get along with the other military guys. Jack & Coke was always cool, but whenever his military buddies came around, B-double-L would get real froggy and hop on along pretty quick." _

" _Did you ever see him arguing with anyone?"_ Callen asked.

" _Come to think of it, yeah. Last Friday, he had an argument with Jack & Coke. Don't really know what it was about, but we had to kick him out when he started making threats."_

" _What kind of threats?"_ Sam asked.

" _He said something like, 'If you keep asking questions, you'll be dead before you know what hit you.' We bounced him after that. Haven't seen him since. But it's only midweek; he'll probably try to come back this Friday."_

" _If he does,"_ Callen gave her his card. _"Give us a heads-up, will you? We're looking to talk to him."_

" _Sure thing, uh, Mr. Callen."_ Eva said, reading his name off the card.

Callen and Sam walked out.

" _The plot thickens."_ Callen said as they parted ways.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thank you all for the encouraging reviews! Just started a new semester at CSUS, so my brain is pretty scrambled. Here's a new chapter for this week!**

* * *

Kensi and Arya had finished dinner and were enjoying each other's company in Arya's room. They spoke in a mix of English and Dari; Arya wanted to start practicing her spoken English and, since Kensi understood Dari, it was easy to communicate across the language barrier when Arya had to switch to get her point across.

" _Thank you for all you did here."_ Arya said in English as she gestured around the room; along with dinner, Kensi had brought some decorative elements for Arya's room. _"It's really nice."_

" _You're very welcome. I'm glad Nell and I could make it 'your' space. I'm sure you noticed Callen is a bit more…minimal…in his homemaking skills."_ Kensi replied with a snicker.

Arya smiled. _"So you and….your partner, what is his name?"_

" _Oh, Deeks. Well, his name is Marty Deeks, but we just usually call him 'Deeks'."_

" _You Americans have such strange naming traditions. Callen and Deeks are called by their family names, but you and Sam are called by your given names. Why is that?"_

Kensi laughed. _"No reason really. Sometimes, certain people call me by my last name 'Blye', but not usually. It *is* kind of strange, now that you point it out. And hey, none of this 'You Americans' stuff; you're one of us now. Or, soon to be, anyway."_

Arya smiled. _"Yeah, not soon enough.. I can't believe all that's happened in the last couple of weeks."_

" _How are you and Callen getting along?"_ Kensi asked

" _Fine. He is kind and patient with me, but…."_ Arya trailed off. Kensi waited patiently for her to continue. _"he does not love me. And, that's okay. After all he's done for me, I wouldn't dare complain. It's just…not what I expected life to become, you know?"_

Kensi nodded. _"Understandable. You grow up with your own expectation for how your life will be, and then it's not like that and sometimes it's hard to deal with. But give Callen time; he's had one hell of a life so far and I'm sure this is not how he envisioned his life, either."_

Arya thought about that for a moment. _"The thing is, I care for him already. I *want* to take care of him, as a wife would. I want to cook and keep house and be there for him if he needs me. He just….doesn't. And I feel lost. I don't really know what to do or what my place actually is."_ Arya explained.

" _Well, why don't you start going to some English classes? It will give you something to do, and you'll get better with the language, so you'll be more confident going out. I'm sure the library would have some."_

" _Good idea! Where is it?"_

Kensi took Arya's phone. Glancing at it, she frowned. _"Can you read any of this?"_ she asked. Arya grimaced and shook her head. _"No, I usually just figure out what the pictures mean."_

" _No worries, I can fix that."_ Kensi tapped away at the screen for a minute, then turned it so Arya could see the display; the text was now in Dari. Kensi was showing Arya how to use the maps app when they heard Callen come through the front door.

" _Arya? Kens?"_

" _In here, Callen!"_ Kensi called. He walked in and stood in the doorway.

" _Well, the house is still standing, so you ladies couldn't have gotten into TOO much trouble."_ He said with a smile. _"What have you been up to?"_

" _Just showing Arya how to use the maps on her phone to get around."_ Kensi replied. _"I should get going; we have a long day tomorrow."_

Arya got up and walked with her and Callen to the door. Once she drove away, Callen shut the door.

" _Hi."_ Arya greeted him with a smile.

" _Hey there. Did you have fun?"_ Callen asked.

" _Yes I did. How did your case go?"_

" _We made some progress."_

" _Are you hungry?"_

" _No, I grabbed a burger with Sam on the way home."_

" _Oh. Okay. Well, I'm going to go shower, then. Okay?"_

" _Yes, of course."_ Arya left to go shower, leaving Callen to sit and watch TV. Presently, his phone vibrated.

 **Kensi: Hey, just wanted to say, talk to her. She's feeling kind of lost and unsure of herself. I think she kinda likes you, and well, you *are* kind of married to her….just sayin.**

Callen typed a response: **Makes two of us.**

* * *

Arya stepped off the bus and thanked the driver, Frank. She was on her way home after her afternoon session with an English tutor at the library. Riding the same buses at the same times every day, she had come to know the drivers on a first-name basis. She had been attending the group tutoring sessions daily for 3 weeks now, (She had even re-set the language back to English after a week with the tutor; he'd suggested it as good practice.), and the tutor was surprised at her progress and tenacity. So much so that today, they had offered her a part-time job at the library, shelving returns. She could hardly wait to tell Callen.

As she walked the few blocks from the bus stop to the house, she reflected on the changes she'd made over the last few weeks: learning how to read and write for the first time, leaving the house with no male escort, dressing a little less conservatively; today, she wore a navy blouse with elbow-length sleeves and an A-line knee-length flower-printed skirt with sandals. She still did her morning _Namaz_ prayers to Allah, but she had stopped wearing the _hijab_ altogether just a week ago; *that* had been an interesting experience, going out in public for the first time without it. It felt amazing to be so free.

Arriving at the house at a quarter to three, she went about her usual routine: turn on the radio, do a couple of chores, then start preparations for dinner. Today was Friday, "floor" day. As she gathered the mopping implements, her phone chimed.

 **Callen: Hey, don't make dinner tonight.**

Arya raised an eyebrow at her phone.

 **Arya: Why, you're not coming home tonight?**

 **Callen: No, I am. Just don't make it.**

Puzzled, she replied **Okay…** and set down her phone.

She had just finished mopping the whole house when she heard him pull into the driveway. Arya opened the door and stood on the doorstep, watching him get out of the car.

" _What are you doing home so early?"_ she asked with a grin.

" _Well…."_ He said as he approached her. _"I kinda figured….we could…go out….and, uh, eat."_ He said, nervously running a hand through his hair. In his other hand, he had a garment bag.

" _Oh. Okay."_ This was different; they'd never gone out to eat anywhere. She had always either cooked, or Callen had brought dinner home with him. _"Be careful; I just mopped, so the floors might be wet here and there. I dried it a little, but I wasn't expecting you home yet."_

They gingerly walked inside and shut the door. Callen laid the bag over the back of the couch. _"Um, Hetty picked this out for you to wear to dinner tonight. I have no idea what it is; she gave me strict orders not to open it. You don't have to, if you don't want to, though. It's up to you."_ He was still fidgety; it unnerved her. This wasn't like him.

" _I'll give it a try. Let me shower first."_ Arya grabbed the bag and took it to her room, before heading for the bathroom. Meanwhile, Callen grabbed some water in the kitchen. Leaning against the counter as he drank, he tried to calm his nerves.

" _Get a grip, G! You already married the woman; taking her on a date should be nothing! This is ridiculous."_ He thought to himself. He looked around the kitchen. Already, it was clear that she was making her mark on the space; there were fresh flowers in a vase on the kitchen table, and the teapot sitting on the stove always had water in it for a quick cup.

Callen heard her open the bathroom door, then shut her bedroom one. Setting his glass in the sink, he went and got in the shower himself. He wondered briefly what Hetty had picked; he had no idea the surprise he was in for…

* * *

Arya opened the garment bag and pulled its contents out. There was a red trench coat and a black dress. She held up the dress. It was black, knee-length with a sweetheart neckline underneath a black lace overlay. The sleeves were long, just lace. She laid it on the bed and did her hair and makeup. Still new to the whole American concept of make-up, she usually stuck with simple black eyeliner. Pulling her hair up into a loose bun, she undid the back and slipped into the dress. She noticed that it was open in the back, with a button to close the shoulders (a keyhole back). It was fitted, but it reached her knees (mercifully!), and the long sleeves helped balance out how….exposed…she felt. She was not accustomed to wearing something so sexy; it was terribly frowned upon in her culture. She tugged up the zipper and did the button, then went to pick up the garment bag when something fell out. It was a black point-toe stiletto. Arya pulled out the other shoe from the bag; tucked inside were a baggie containing a pair of pearl earrings and a matching bracelet. Arya smiled as she put them on and looked at herself in the mirror. She hardly recognized the gorgeous woman looking back at her. She hoped Callen would like it.

Eyeing the shoes with trepidation, she put them on and tried to stand. They were a little unsteady, but not impossible. She walked a few laps around her room to get accustomed to them, then picked up the coat and her phone and opened her bedroom door.


	15. Chapter 15

**A huge thank you to all who review! I greatly enjoy your encouragement.**

* * *

Callen was nearly dressed, standing in front of his closet in black slacks trying to decide what shirt to wear when he heard what sounded like high heels on the hardwood floor outside his closed bedroom door. _"What the hell? She's wearing heels?"_ he thought. Pulling on a light blue dress shirt, he skipped a tie and quickly put on his shoes. Grabbing the jacket that went with the pants and opening the door, he stepped out into the hallway and headed for the living room. What he saw took his breath away.

Arya was facing him from across the living room. She wore a knee-length black dress that accentuated her figure perfectly, with long lace sleeves and heels. Her hair was up, her makeup was simple. She was a knockout. _"And I'm married to her."_ was the only coherent thought that went through Callen's head.

" _You like it?"_ Arya asked shyly.

" _Yeah"_ he breathed. _"Turn around, let me see."_ He said, his voice husky.

Slowly, she turned and coyly looked at him over her shoulder as she completed the rotation. His heart skipped a beat at that look. She carefully walked over to where her coat lay across the back of the couch and held it out to him. _"Will you help me, please?"_ she asked.

He nodded and came over to hold it up for her as she shrugged it on. It fit her perfectly. _"God bless you, Henrietta Lange!"_ He thought to himself, making a mental note to thank her profusely later.

" _You look fantastic."_ Arya said. _"Are we ready to go?"_

Callen found his voice again. _"Yes, let's go."_ Stepping outside and locking the door, he was halfway to the car when he realized she wasn't with him. Turning, he saw her standing on the doorstep, staring apprehensively at the steps down to the walkway.

" _Here, take my hand."_ He said, coming back and offering it to her. She took it and carefully stepped down, holding her breath as she did so. His firm grasp never wavered, and she let out her breath once she reached the walkway.

" _Congratulations, you've survived your first set of steps in heels!"_ Callen said with a laugh.

" _Yeah, let's save the celebration until after I've made it safely home in them."_ She returned his laugh with a smile, refusing to let go of his hand. He wormed his fingers from hers and put her hand on his arm instead. They made it to the car and headed off into the night.

* * *

They arrived at _Bella Notte,_ an Italian place a half-hour later, just in time for their 6:00 reservation. The restaurant was dimly lit, with unique collections of candles in various styles of candleholders on each table. Sam had recommended this place during his recent campaign to nudge Callen into being more "husbandly" toward Arya.

* * *

***Flashbacks***

 _*In the car*_

" _It's not gonna kill you, G."_

" _Our job can kill me, and yet I still do it. What makes you think death is what scares me?"_

 _*At their desks*_

Sam rolled his eyes. _"Seriously G. Why not?"_

" _Because, Sam…."_

Sam continued to stare at Callen, waiting. Instead, Callen got up and walked away.

 _*Over drinks after work*_

" _Callen, talk to me. We've been partners for how long now, I know you better than you think I do. So, nothing you tell me is going to surprise me at this point."_

Callen sighed and took another swig of his beer before speaking. _"I want to love her, Sam. There's just so much she doesn't know. I don't know if I can let her in that far. She deserves better than….this."_ He gestured toward himself.

Finally they were getting somewhere. _"She deserves a man who will love her and protect her. Look where she came from. She knew Saman; she didn't know you from Adam, and yet, her fear of Saman was greater than her fear of anything you could do. All you have to do is show her that, confirm what she already hopes: that you are a better man than he was."_ Sam said.

Callen had to admit, his partner had an indisputable point. He finished his beer and ordered another.

* * *

***Back to present***

That last conversation with Sam was the final straw. Now here they were, on their first official "date". The ambiance was cozy and intimate, the dim lighting perfect for hiding Callen's nerves. Arya picked up her menu and Callen reached toward her.

" _Here, let me."_

She pulled it back to herself. With a mischievous grin, she said _"Nope, I've got it."_

Surprised, he furrowed his brow and retracted his hand. _"Alright."_ He smirked. _"Let's see what you can do, Marian."_

" _Marian?"_ she asked, confused.

" _Marian the Librarian? You know, cause you spend so much time at the library. It's a…song, I'll have to play it for you later. Nevermind."_ And he busied himself with his own menu.

Arya smiled. _"Well, you're not exactly wrong…."_ Callen looked up at her.

" _They offered me a job. At the library."_

" _Really? That's awesome, Arya! Congratulations!"_ he said happily. At that moment, the server arrived to take their orders.

" _Hello, my name is Olivia and I'll be your server this evening. Can I start you folks with an appetizer?_

Arya demurred to Callen, so he ordered the flatbread pizza from the Appetizer menu and two glasses of water. Olivia left to put in the order.

" _So, tell me more about this job!"_ Callen pressed excitedly as he perused his menu. Arya told him about her progress and how impressed her tutor was. Upon hearing that her tutor was male, Callen was surprised to feel a slight pang of jealousy at another man spending more time with his wife than he did. As Arya looked at her menu, Olivia came back with their flatbread and water.

" _Are we ready to order?"_ she asked. Callen motioned for Arya to go first.

" _I can't decide between the Chicken Al-fr-ee-doe"-_

" _Alfredo"_ Callen corrected gently.

" _Alfredo. Or the Chicken Par-me-gyan-oh?"_ she looked at Callen for help.

" _Parmegiano"_ he corrected with an encouraging smile. He explained to the server _"She's learning to read English."_

" _Well you're doing well, considering that's Italian. If I may, I suggest the Alfredo."_ She said, smiling.

" _Okay, I'll try that."_ Arya said, closing her menu.

" _And I'll do the Parmegiano. What wine do you recommend?"_ said Callen.

" _We have an excellent unoaked Chardonnay from Sonoma that goes well with both dishes. Shall I bring you a taste?"_

Callen shook his head. _"No, we'll take a bottle. I trust your judgement."_

" _Well thank you! I'll be right back."_ Olivia took their menus and left.

Arya and Callen dug into the flatbread. He was hungrier than he'd realized, and it was delicious.

* * *

After dinner, during which they'd toasted her new job, Callen took Arya to the Santa Monica pier. Her eyes lit up as they walked arm-in-arm slowly toward the brightly-lit ferris wheel.

" _Thank you for dinner, Callen."_

" _You're welcome. I'm enjoying this night immensely."_

" _Me too."_

" _Arya?"_

" _Hmm?"_

" _Are you happy here…with…me?"_

Arya stopped and turned to him, smiling. _"I'm very happy, Callen. Why do you ask?"_

He turned away and leaned on the railing, looking down at the waves before responding hesitantly. She followed and stood beside him, also leaning on the rail. _"I…want to make you happy. These last few weeks have been…new territory…for me."_ He took her hand in his and faced her. _"Arya, I want to be your husband. Not just on paper, but in heart. But there's….a lot about me that you don't know. I'm scared to death of letting you get too close, because letting people get close hasn't usually ended well for me. I want you in my life, Arya. More than anything, I want to make this work. I'm just not sure how."_

Arya listened intently, her hand warm in his. Finally, he was opening up, at least a little bit. Her heart constricted, hearing the turmoil in his voice as he spoke. When he was done, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly for several moments. When they pulled away, she took both of his hands in hers and said _"I want to be with you. For the rest of my life, I want to be the wife I promised to be. I want to love you and support you and be there for you, through the good days and bad. Callen, I've wanted so badly to be loved by you since the day we were married. As for guarding your heart, that's okay; we have our whole lives ahead of us. I'm in no rush to uncover all of your secrets. For now, just let yourself love me, in whatever way you do. And I will do the same. Okay?"_

Callen smiled down at her, comforted by her words. He lifted his right hand to her face, stroking her cheekbone with his thumb. Lowering his lips to hers, he kissed her. Softly at first, then pulling her to him with his other arm, holding her close as if letting her go was tantamount to letting go of life itself. She returned his kiss, wrapping her arms around his back. He pulled back, so that they were nose-to-nose for a moment, before she laid her head on his chest. After a few moments, they separated and walked back to the car, his arm across her shoulders and her arm around his waist. Callen felt as if a weight was lifted from his shoulders.


	16. Chapter 16

**I'm glad you all like where I'm taking this! Let me know if it's moving too fast; I tried to take his character's trust and emotional issues into account, but also keeping in mind that they're literally living together 24/7 and already married, too. Happy reading!**

* * *

During the whole car ride home, Arya hadn't taken her hand from his. He couldn't seem to wipe the grin off of his face, and neither could she. They talked about nothing and everything.

" _Let's watch something together."_ Arya suggested as they turned onto their street.

" _Tonight? Like what?"_

" _Oh, I don't know. What do you like?"_

" _Um, a little of this, little of that."_

Arya rolled her eyes. _"Oh yeah, THAT's helpful."_

Callen smirked at her. _"Alright. I got one."_

" _Oh yeah?"_

" _Yeah. You're not officially American until you've seen 'Casablanca'."_

" _Okay. What's it about?"_

" _Nope!"_ Callen said with a mischievous grin. _"You've gotta just watch and see."_

He pulled into the driveway and parked. They made their way up the steps and into the house, where Arya promptly pulled off the shoes, holding his shoulder for balance.

" _Ooh, these look amazing, but they feel like hell!"_ she laughed. _"I'm going to go change while you set up the movie, 'kay?"_ Callen nodded his assent. Arya turned and headed toward her room, then spun back. _"Oh hey, can you um, unzip me, please?"_ she said, turning away from him.

Callen swallowed before responding. _"Oh. Uh, sure."_ His fingers slowly tugged the zipper on her dress down until it stopped at the small of her back.

Arya was aware of the sensation of his thumb grazing her skin as he unzipped her. It gave her goosebumps. _"I wonder what it would feel like to have his hands all over my back."_ She thought. _"Thank you."_ She said, and hurried to her room, leaving Callen wanting more. He busied himself with setting up the movie. Arya came back momentarily, dressed in blue plaid flannel pajama pants and a coordinating blue t-shirt, carrying some blankets from the hall closet.

" _I figured we could get all cozy."_ She said with a smile.

" _Sounds good! Let me go change, and we'll start it up."_ He said, heading for his room. Arya got settled on the couch, snuggled up under a blanket. A few minutes later, he returned.

" _Scoot over, couch-hog!"_ he said teasingly. Arya moved over an inch, giving him an impish grin. _"Oh, you're funny."_ Callen said. _"Fine."_ He situated himself on the couch, one leg on each side of Arya so that she was leaning back against his torso. Once they got comfortable, they started the movie.

Just over an hour and a half later, the credits rolled and Callen stretched his arms with a yawn.

" _So, what did you think?"_ he asked. Arya didn't answer. _"Arya?"_

He craned his neck a bit to look at her face. Her eyes were closed; she'd fallen asleep against him. Callen sat still for a few minutes, savoring the feeling of her body relaxed against his. Until his back started to protest; slowly, carefully, he eased himself out from behind Arya without waking her. He stretched out his back and legs and sighed. She looked so beautiful, so at peace. He almost hated to move her, but knew she'd be more comfortable in her bed. Gently, he lifted her off the couch, still covered with the blanket. At the movement, she stirred a little in his arms.

" _Shhh, go back to sleep. It's okay; I've got you."_ He murmured softly, his cheek against her forehead. Arya nestled her face against his chest and stilled. Callen carried her to her room and laid her on the bed. She cuddled up into a fetal position facing him. Callen sat on the edge of her bed, watching her sleep for a moment. When he was certain she was fully asleep, he turned and clasped his hands between his knees, leaning with his forearms resting on his legs. He started talking softly.

" _You know, I never thought I'd be here right now. All my life, I wanted to love someone and be loved by them in return. And I mean really loved; all of me, not just the nice parts. And there are some not-so-nice parts of me, Arya. I have done things…so many things…that I'm not proud of. That's what I meant when I said I wasn't "husband" material. And I'm afraid…that when you see and know those things, that you won't love me anymore…that you'll leave. It scares me because I can see myself with you indefinitely. I can see us together, and I want that. I want to see our…kids. I want that, Arya; so badly, it physically hurts. I couldn't bear it if I let myself love you and let you see me and you left. I couldn't do it. 37 times, I've been left. It would kill me if you were number 38. I've made it my highest priority in life to avoid being hurt again and broken. And yet, I *am* broken, and you deserve better than broken. I don't deserve you, and yet, I want you. I want to love you, Arya. I want to show you what my love means; I want to love your soul, your spirit, and your body. All of you. I just don't know how to get past my fear and let myself love you and be loved by you."_

He sighed and looked at the clock. _11:48pm_ it read. Turning back to Arya, he leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on her temple before leaving her room. Had he looked back at her before leaving, he would have seen her eyes wide open…

* * *

The following Monday, Callen sat at his desk, typing up some notes on the case. They were still following the trail down the rabbit hole on the Weapons case. So far, they hadn't heard from Eva, presumably indicating that Farooq hadn't turned up at _The Shady Lady_ recently, which led to the current stall in progress. He sighed in frustration.

He heard the distant roar of a familiar engine and a short screech of tires coming to an abrupt stop. Sam was here, and he was in a hurry.

Sam quickly walked in and set his bag on the desk. _"Sup, G? How'd it go last Friday?"_ he asked eagerly.

Callen smiled. _"You are just dying to know, aren't you?"_ he paused, dragging out the moment as Sam waited impatiently. Finally, he relented. _"Went great. She's reading so well, she ordered her own food off the menu!"_

" _Pretty much all of that food is Italian. Not even English."_ Sam said, surprised.

" _I know!"_

" _What about the outfit Hetty lent her?"_ Sam asked with a knowing smile.

" _You rat bastard! You knew what I was in for, and you didn't warn me?"_ Callen said in disbelief as Sam began to chuckle.

" _Warn you about what, Mr. Callen?"_ Hetty asked from behind Callen. He whirled around.

" _You….you sneaky, tricky, wonderful woman, you."_ Callen said, pointing his finger at her and trying unsuccessfully to hide a smile. _"That outfit you lent my wife damn near killed me. And for that, thank you."_

" _She did what?"_ Deeks' voice echoed into the bullpen.

Before Callen could answer, Sam interjected. _"Let's just say, Arya was dressed to kill for their dinner date last week."_

" _You're most welcome, Mr. Callen."_ She said warmly. _"I trust everything fit her properly?"_

" _Yes would be an understatement." He replied._

" _This 'killer outfit' sounds intriguing. What, was there a hidden dagger in her stiletto?"_ Deeks asked with his signature one-sided grin.

At that moment, Nell called the team upstairs for an update.

They entered the OPS center, where Eric gave them the update.

" _We finally tracked down Farooq al-Awadii. Facial rec finally caught an image of him on a traffic cam downtown."_ He pulled up the picture; it showed Farooq in the passenger seat of a black early 90's Chevy pickup.

Nell chimed in. _"The driver is Omar Hassan. Now, he's been on the U.S.'s 'No-fly" list for several years. DHS has been keeping an eye on him for the last few months, and he's known to have connections to several known ISIS members in the Middle East."_

" _So we have a dead Corpsman who may or may not have been involved in the weapons theft, and the prime suspect in his murder is hanging out with a guy who may or may not be an ISIS terrorist. Happy Monday, everyone."_ Deeks commented.

" _Please tell me you have an address of some kind for either of them?"_ Kensi asked.

" _Farooq's. It's being sent to your phones right now."_ Nell said.

" _Bring him in alive."_ Hetty ordered as the team as they headed out.


	17. Chapter 17

**Time for the team to get back to the case. But don't worry, there's a little Arya sprinkled in. :)**

* * *

The team silently approached Farooq's house, Callen and Sam from the left, Deeks and Kensi from the right. Callen and Sam positioned themselves on either side of the front door and waited for Kensi and Deeks to get into position around the rear of the house.

" _Ready when you are."_ Deeks said over the earpiece.

" _On my mark. 3…2…1, GO!"_ Sam ordered.

Both teams breached the house simultaneously, Callen kicking in the front door and Deeks doing the same to the back door. They swept the house methodically, clearing each room and ending in the master bedroom. Finding no one, they began looking around the house for evidence. Sam poked around in the closet and was about to turn and leave when he noticed the cover to the crawlspace in the attic was off-kilter.

" _G!"_ he called, training his AR-15 on the entrance. Callen hurried into the room, then, seeing Sam's posture, mimicked it. He indicated to Sam to check the space while keeping his rifle trained. Sam let his rifle hang and pulled out the wire cam to scope out the space. Threading it through a gap between the cover and the edge of the hole, he checked the screen. Looking at Callen, he silently nodded an affirmative that Farooq was indeed up there.

" _Deeks, Kensi, we've got him in the attic."_ Callen said. The two agents joined them in seconds.

" _Federal Agents!"_ Sam called. _"Farooq al-Ramadii! We know you're up there! Come out with your hands up!"_ When he got no answer, Callen called out _"We have grenades, Farooq! We can always just smoke you out!"_

They heard banging from across the house. _"The attic vent! He's getting away!"_ Kensi yelled, hauling ass down the hallway, with the other three agents following. She ran out the back and Deeks followed her, while Callen and Sam ran out front. They were just in time to see him run across the lawn.

" _Out front, heading east!"_ Callen said, knowing the other teammates could hear him over the earwig. He and Sam gave chase down the street. They heard a roar behind them as Kensi and Deeks flew past in the SUV, cutting off Farooq's escape. He reached for a pistol in his waistband, but Callen tackled him with all the force of a pissed-off linebacker. They fell hard to the cement, where Callen cuffed him after a brief struggle.

Sam yanked Farooq to his feet. _"You're under arrest for the murder of Lieutenant Jason Grimes. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law."_ Sam told him as he led him to the SUV.

Callen was a little slower getting up; the hit he'd delivered and the ensuing fall had knocked the wind out of him.

" _You okay?"_ Kensi asked.

" _Yeah. Just sure I'm gonna feel that tomorrow."_ He said, rolling his left shoulder.

* * *

Arya was very distracted. Callen's revelation from Friday night was playing over and over in her mind.

 _I want to love you._

 _I want to see our children._

 _I'm afraid…that you'll leave._

Her heart had ached for him. It was monumentally difficult to refrain from sitting up and holding him close, but she knew that, if she let him know she heard every word, he would clam up and say no more. She _needed_ him to say more. So she'd been still, pretending to be asleep, while he poured his heart out to her. Now, she debated whether to tell him she had heard, and if so, when. _You're not the only one with not-so-nice parts to hide…_

* * *

Callen and the team were watching Farooq on the monitor in the boatshed. He had sat for all of 5 minutes before he was up, pacing nervously.

" _Guy's like a cat in a rocking chair factory."_ Sam said with a small grin. He could tell the man was nervous.

" _Yeah, my kind of suspect; people talk when they're nervous."_ Callen said. _"You guys want first crack?"_ he asked Deeks and Kensi, who gave their assent.

" _You wanna be good cop this time, Kens?"_ Deeks said with a lascivious grin. _"Although, you know I prefer you as the 'bad' cop…..OW!"_ he said as she punched him in the arm. _"Okay okay, bad cop! All you had to do was say so!"_

They entered the interrogation room, where Farooq was still pacing.

" _Hey, wanna take a seat there, Nervous Nellie?"_ Deeks said to Farooq with an impish smirk. Farooq just glared at him and leaned against the wall.

" _Okay, have it your way."_ Deeks said as he sat down in one of the chairs. _"Where were you on the night of October ninth?"_

" _Home"_ Farooq replied tersely.

" _Oh, THAT'S original. And let me guess, you were alone all night?"_ Deeks said sarcastically. Farooq just stared back at him.

" _Okay, uh, what can you tell me about your buddy Lt. Grimes?_ Deeks asked.

Farooq shrugged. _"Never heard of him."_

" _Really? You've never heard of him?"_ Kensi asked skeptically, shoving a photo of Lt. Grimes in front of him on the table. He didn't look at it.

" _That's funny, because several people have seen you with him at The Shady Lady. One person even recalled what you drank. Who even drinks Bud Light Lime, anyway?"_ Deeks said derisively, intentionally needling Farooq to rile him up.

" _So I had a few drinks with the guy. People do that in bars. Big deal."_ Farooq replied, not letting Deeks' jibe get under his skin.

" _Yeah, and we are looking for information on him."_ Kensi said.

" _Which I don't have! Can I go now?"_ Farooq said impatiently.

" _Nope, not until we can clear you."_ She replied.

" _Kens, Eric's got something."_ Callen's voice came over their earwigs.

" _Which, it looks like it's gonna take a while to do."_ Kensi said, heading for the door with Deeks.

" _What's up?"_ Kensi asked Callen and Sam outside the interrogation room. She and the other three agents turned toward the screen where Eric's image watched them.

" _So, I found some pretty freaky information about Farooq al-Ramadii: He has been linked with several moderately high-level ISIS members, including a few who have been seen in and around Maiwand."_ Eric explained as he put the photos up of 3 men of Middle-Eastern descent, one of which was Saman bin Zahir, Callen's captor and Arya's would-be husband.

" _That's where we found the weapons."_ Sam said, looking pointedly at Callen.

" _And where I was held."_ Callen said, surprised. _"Saman bin Zahir is no longer a threat; pretty sure he died when the place was lit up by the payload of the F-18s. Any other information?"_ he asked Eric.

" _None that I've found, but I'm still running facial rec to try and match up any suspects in our area. I'll let you know what I find."_

" _Send me those shots, will ya?"_ Deeks asked.

" _Done."_ Said Eric as his image disappeared from the screen.

Callen turned toward the others. _"See if you can crack Farooq again."_

Kensi and Deeks re-entered the interrogation room. Farooq was no longer pacing, but fidgeting in his seat.

" _What do you know about these men?"_ Deeks held up his phone and scrolled through the pictures. Farooq looked at them, shaking his head.

" _Nothing. I've never seen them. Why, are they dead too?"_ Farooq asked.

" _Too? What do you mean, 'too'?"_ Kensi asked with a knowing smirk.

Farooq's eyes got wide as he realized his mistake and tried to back out. _"Well, you said Justin was dead-"_

" _Whoa, Justin? I thought you didn't know Lt. Grimes?"_ Deeks interrupted.

Farooq looked between them, terrified; he knew he was beaten. _"Please, I was just following orders! If I didn't do it, someone else would've!"_

" _Who wanted him dead, and why?"_ Kensi asked.

Farooq seemed to be fighting an internal battle. _"If they find out I snitched, it will be me next."_ He said softly, staring at the table.

" _We can offer you protection, in exchange for your testimony. We still have to charge you for the murder of Lt. Grimes, but might be able to work it down, IF you give us anything useful."_ Deeks said.

" _Alright."_ Farooq sighed. _"I was told to 'tie up the loose end'. I didn't want to kill him; I'd kind of come to like Justin. He had always treated me well, even inviting me over a few times for beer and video games. That's how I knew where the spare key was; he used it once when he misplaced his keys."_

" _Who put the hit on him?"_ Deeks asked.

" _I don't know. The Organization is careful to limit face-to-face contacts, so that people can't do what I'm doing right now…"_

" _Well, how DID they contact you?"_ Kensi pressed.

" _They called, always from blocked numbers."_

Kensi switched gears. _"What was your involvement in the weapons theft?"_

" _I asked Justin about shipments, where they were going, how they got there. I think he got suspicious. When he started asking questions about my interest, I backed off a bit. I don't think he ever knew what was going on, and I tried to tell them that, but they ordered me to kill him anyway, just in case._ Farooq said sadly.

" _Okay. Well, I think that's all we need for right now. Sit tight, and we'll figure out where we can hide you until all this is over."_ Deeks said as they rose and left the room.

* * *

Callen was eager to get home after the long day. His body was sore, especially that shoulder, and he couldn't wait for a hot shower to ease the pain.

Arya had dinner ready; he devoured the Chicken Parmigiana and Angel Hair pasta she'd made. They chatted about their respective days, then cleaned up. He gave Arya a kiss on the side of her head before heading to the shower. Gingerly, he pulled his shirt off and inspected his shoulder; a golf-ball-sized road rash was accompanied by some moderate bruising. After his shower, Callen felt noticeably better.

" _What you doing?"_ he asked Arya casually, as he leaned against her door frame.

" _Just reading before bed. You?"_

" _Actually heading to bed myself. I'm pretty wiped."_

" _Okay. Goodnight!"_

" _Night."_

Callen set the security system and went to bed, but despite being so fatigued, struggled to sleep. After tossing and turning for about 30 minutes, he had finally begun to doze off when a spine-tingling scream shattered the silence.


	18. Chapter 18

It only took 4 seconds for Callen to hear Arya scream, grab his gun from under the pillow and leap from his bed in one fluid motion, and enter her room, gun drawn. He swept the room and, determining that there was no intruder, turned to Arya, who was still screaming. He switched on her bedside lamp and set his gun on the nightstand. In the light, he saw her eyes were still closed, her hands gripping and twisting the blanket. _"She's having a nightmare!"_ He realized. Gently but firmly grabbing her shoulder, he shook her to wake her up.

" _Arya! Arya, wake up! Wake up!"_

" _HE'S HERE! HE'S HERE!"_ Arya screamed. Callen picked up the pistol as he turned, sweeping the room again.

" _Arya, there's nobody here!"_ Callen said. _"The alarm would have gone off if there was."_ He thought to himself. He continued shaking her until she opened her eyes.

Her final scream faded, giving way to sobs. Callen pulled her close and held her until she calmed down enough to talk.

" _He was standing right there."_ She said, pointing at the opposite corner of the room.

" _Who, Arya?"_

" _Saman."_

* * *

It had been two days since Arya's first nightmare. Each night since, the same nightmare returned to plague her, and they were getting worse; last night, she'd woken up screaming three times. Naturally, Callen didn't get much sleep, either.

Inside the Challenger, Callen could not stop yawning, despite 2 cups of coffee. He was considering asking Sam to pull into a fast food place for a 3rd.

" _You alive over there?"_ Sam asked his partner.

" _Define 'alive'. Can we stop for a coffee?"_

" _G, you've already had two cups. And it's only 10am. Any more caffeine, and I'm gonna have to peel you off the ceiling at OPS by lunchtime."_ Sam smiled mischievously. _"Arya keeping you awake at all hours?"_

Callen rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger. _"Yes, but not in the way you're thinking. She's having these nightmares…"_

" _About what?"_ Sam said, as he pulled into a 7-11 parking lot. They got out and went inside.

" _About Saman, the man who held me prisoner. She was betrothed to him, but refused. That's why she was so desperate to come here: to get away from him."_ Callen poured a large cup of coffee and doctored it to his liking.

Sam watched him with amusement. _"I should put a heart monitor on you, just to see how high it gets. You been talking to Abby Sciuto lately?"_

Callen smiled with fondness at the thought of their D.C. colleague and her love of "Caf-Pow". _"No, but this keeps up, I might have to get some recommendations from her."_ They paid for the coffee and got back in the car.

" _I keep telling Arya there's no way he's here, that even IF he somehow survived the attack on Maiwand, that there's no way he could find her, since she changed her name. I think tonight, I might sleep on the floor of her room; see if maybe it helps. At the very least, I'll be able to wake her up quicker."_

" _Or, you could share a bed with her. I mean, god forbid you do such a thing with your wife. You shared a bed with Joelle, didn't you?"_

" _Yes, but that was very different. Arya….I'm trying to follow her lead in that department. The last time she even THOUGHT I might act on those desires, she panicked pretty hardcore. I don't want to stress her out further, but if sleeping in the same room doesn't help, I'll suggest it."_

* * *

Arya was exhausted. Her nerves were shot; even when awake, the anxiety never quite went away, except when Callen was home.

" _It's not possible. It's not possible. Even IF he survived the bombing, there's no way he could find me since I changed over to my married name. It's not possible."_ She told herself, repeating what Callen had told her.

She made herself a cup of tea and, while it steeped, checked the alarm system for the 10th time since coming home from work 2 hours ago. _"Callen should be here any second."_ She thought. She had nearly ran the whole way from the bus stop, checking over her shoulder frequently. She just couldn't shake the feeling that she wasn't alone. She checked the clock again. _"Any second now."_

As if on cue, she heard the familiar sound of his car's engine as he pulled into the driveway. Breathing a small sigh of relief, she pulled out the teabag and headed for the front door.

He walked in, setting his keys on the table by the door.

" _Hey babe."_ He greeted her with a tired smile.

" _Hey."_ Arya stood on tiptoe to kiss him, then held him tightly. He understood the unspoken meaning behind the tightness of her embrace, and he wrapped her in his arms.

" _You're safe. I won't let anything happen to you, Arya."_ He whispered into her hair. She nodded and then pulled back.

" _I know. I just needed to hear it again. So, what do you want to do for dinner?"_

" _How about pizza?"_

* * *

As Arya was brushing her teeth before bed, Callen came and stood in the bathroom doorway, leaning against the frame by supporting his weight on his raised forearm. She watched him in the mirror with a quizzical look.

" _I had an idea. Um, if you're not comfortable that's fine, but what if we…sleep together? Just sleeping, no sex. You seem to be calmer when I'm around, and that way, I can wake you sooner so it's less traumatic if you do have another nightmare. What do you think?"_ he asked, meeting her eyes in the mirror.

Arya thought for a second, bent and spit into the sink and rinsed her toothbrush.

" _I think it's a great idea. As long as you don't snore."_ She said, squeezing past him with an impish grin.

Callen feigned a look of offense. _"I most certainly do not snore! I may twitch a little or talk, but I don't snore."_

Arya looked over her shoulder as she said _"Then I wonder what juicy secrets I'll uncover."_

Callen stopped short; what MIGHT she hear? Suddenly, this idea no longer sounded as good as it originally did.

" _Your bed or mine?"_ she called from her room.

" _Uh, mine is fine."_

" _Okay. Well, I'm going to bed now, but you don't have to come if you're not tired."_

" _Oh, I'm definitely tired. Let me shower real fast, and I'll be there."_

" _That's fine; I'll read until you come to bed."_

Twenty minutes later, he was shutting down the house; lights, setting the alarm, checking the door locks, etc. He finished and walked into his room, where Arya was already under the covers, reading a book by the light of the bedside lamp, the book propped up on her drawn-up knees.

" _Ready, Love?"_ she asked.

" _Yep"_ he said, crawling into bed on the side closest to the door. She waited until he was situated comfortably on his back, then turned off the light. Feeling brave, she snuggled up to him, wiggling her way until she was nestled under his arm, her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest. Surprised, he hesitated at first, unsure of what she was doing. Once she was settled, he wrapped his left arm around her and held her close, using his other hand to cover hers over his heart. He smiled in the darkness.

" _Good night, Arya."_ He mumbled.

" _Good night, Callen."_


	19. Chapter 19

**Time for some humor...and a Plot twist!**

* * *

Callen was awakened by his phone buzzing on the nightstand. As soon as he opened his eyes, he knew something was wrong; the room was way too bright. Turning away from where he was cuddled up to Arya, spooning comfortably, he checked the clock as he reached for his phone. _9:08 am_ it read. _SHIT! Sam's gonna give me so much hell for this._ The caller ID read "Sam". Groaning softly at the impending shit-storm he was about to receive for being so late, he answered the phone.

" _Yes, I know what time it is. I'm on my way."_ He pulled off his pajama pants and reached for his jeans.

Sam's voice practically dripped amusement through the phone. _"You okay there, Buddy? Arya pull some major Kama Sutra moves on you last night?"_

" _No, Sam."_ Callen was trying to pull on his jeans and not drop the phone, all the while trying not to wake Arya. He looked over to make sure she was still sleeping. On the contrary, she was raised up on her elbows, watching his half-dressed form with a mixture of shyness and suppressed laughter.

" _Good morning, Darling!"_ she said loudly enough for Sam to hear.

" _Darling? Oh, now you're 'Darling'!"_ Sam said mockingly.

Callen finally got the blasted jeans on and hunted for his shoes. Taking pity on him, Arya jumped out of bed and ran to the kitchen, grabbing a muffin for him to take with him. There wasn't time for coffee.

" _Sam, I'm warning you…"_

" _Yeah, and you've got me shaking in my bunny slippers. Wait until Hetty gets a hold of you. She just might drown you in a pot of her Darjeeling. Darling."_

Callen groaned. Hetty was going to kill him.

" _I'll be there as fast as possible."_ He said, hanging up the phone and shoving it in his pocket. Finally, having gotten his shoes on, he ran to grab his wallet and watch off the dresser, then nearly ran over Arya, who was waiting by the door for him with a muffin and his satchel in hand. Slinging the satchel over his shoulder, he took the muffin and grabbed his keys, gave her a quick kiss goodbye, and ran out the door.

* * *

Callen dreaded his arrival at the Mission almost as much as he dreaded hospitals. Jogging to his desk, he saw the Bullpen was void of his teammates. He set his stuff on his desk and caught his breath. He heard Eric upstairs briefing what he presumed to be his team. _"Maybe I can sneak in unnoticed."_ He thought. The thought was extremely short-lived when he turned toward the stairs and saw the object of his fears on this particular morning, stopping him in his tracks. And possibly his heart for a beat.

Hetty.

Standing stock-still in the entrance to the Bullpen he had just blown through moments ago. Naturally, he hadn't heard her approach. _"I swear, that woman is part-ninja."_ He thought.

She stared at him with that trademark stare, boring through him with her eyes.

" _Hello, Hetty."_ Callen tried to hide his apprehension behind a cheery smile.

" _Mr. Callen."_ The iciness of her tone sent a chill down her spine.

Callen knew he couldn't fool her, even if his life depended on it. He broke eye contact and dropped the innocent act.

" _Hetty, I'm sorry I'm late. I don't know what happened. I guess I….overslept."_

Her tone changed slightly. _"Are you ill, Mr. Callen?"_ She knew he hardly slept when he was well, so this admission concerned her.

" _No no, I uh…just slept…with…Arya. In the same bed. Just sleeping, though! Nothing else."_ He couldn't wait for this mortifying conversation to be over.

" _Uh-huh."_ She walked toward him. _"Given your current marital status, it is of no consequence to me what you do or don't do in your bedroom. And you….slept? All night?"_

Callen smiled. _"Yeah. Best sleep I've gotten….ever, I think."_

Hetty gave a small smile; she was glad to see this strange arrangement with Arya was having a positive effect on Callen. _"Well, now that you're energized, I believe your team could use their energized leader."_ And she moved out of his way, gesturing with her hand for him to go ahead.

He nodded and jogged up the stairs. Walking into OPS, the team turned to him, eyeing him curiously.

" _Keep going, Eric. Please."_

" _As I was saying, what Farooq said checked out. Several calls to his phone from these numbers, all of which were blocked. The calls originated from here, a warehouse in Long Beach."_ Eric pulled up the map on the screen.

" _The warehouse is owned by an Ahmed al-Awadii, cousin of our friend Farooq."_ Nell chimed in.

" _Eh, nothing like keeping it all in the family."_ Deeks quipped.

" _Ahmed runs a glass distribution company. Established in 2010, no police reports of suspicious activity on record."_ Nell continued.

" _Sam and I will check out the warehouse. Kensi and Deeks, check out Ahmed's residence. Eric, see what else you can find on this family."_ Callen instructed. The team dispersed.

* * *

Sam and Callen pulled up to the warehouse. It was busy, with several employees milling around. The two agents walked up to the nearest employee, whose shirt read _"Joe"._ Identifying themselves, they asked about Ahmed.

" _Ah, I haven't seen Ahmed since last week."_

" _Ok, we need to speak to him. You know where we could find him?"_ Sam asked.

" _No. But you can ask Juana in the office. She handles his schedule."_ Joe pointed to a door on the end of the warehouse.

" _Thanks."_ Callen said, heading for the office.

" _Hello Juana? NCIS Agents Callen and Hanna. We are looking for your boss, Ahmed. Know where we can find him?"_

The plump woman behind the desk looked at them in surprise. _"Oh you just missed him! He's got an appointment-let me try to stop him!"_ She got up and opened a door that led from the office into the loading bays. As they stepped through the door, they heard the sound of tires squealing. A company van was leaving quickly and took off down the street.

" _Oh, well of all the luck!"_ Juana exclaimed. _"I'm sorry, but beyond that appointment, he's out of the office indefinitely. I can call you when he's back in?"_

Callen tapped his earwig. _"Eric, I need you to find a van for 'Speedy Glass', just left the warehouse. Plate number 5-Romeo-Mike-Bravo-9-1-7."_

" _Got it."_

" _Deeks, Kensi, you guys may have company."_ Sam said into his earwig.

" _Copy that"_ came the simultaneous replies.

* * *

Deeks and Kensi breached Ahmed's home without incident. It appeared normal, with no evidence of anything out of the ordinary; basic furnishings, recent mail, photos on the walls.

" _Deeks, Kensi, you guys may have company."_ Sam's voice came over the earwig.

" _Copy that."_

" _Copy that."_

" _Deeks, I'm not finding anything here."_ Kensi said.

" _Me neither."_ Deeks came out of the bedroom and walked down the hall. Halfway down, he stopped mid-step. _"Uh, hold that thought…"_ He stared intently at one of the photographs on the wall.

" _Oh my god."_ Pulling out his phone, he took a picture of the photo, then tapped his earwig. _"Callen, you're not gonna believe what I just found."_ He sent the photo to Callen's phone. _"Isn't that what's-his-name on the right?"_

Callen looked at his phone in confusion. _"What the hell is Saman doing with Farooq and Ahmed?"_ he said aloud.

The sound of an engine in the driveway reached Kensi and Deeks' ears. Peeking out the window, they saw Ahmed hurrying to the front door. Silently, they snuck out the back, then Kensi crept around the front.

Pounding on the front door, she called out _"Federal agents! Ahmed, open the door!"_

Ahmed instead, ran out the back door, where Deeks was waiting, gun drawn.

" _Hands up! LAPD!"_

Ahmed drew a gun, forcing Deeks to shoot him. Ahmed dropped like a rock, and Deeks kicked the gun away. Kensi came through the house to assist.

" _He's dead, Kens."_

" _Damnit."_

" _Callen, you're gonna want to see this."_ Eric's voice came over the coms.

" _Copy that, Eric. We're on our way."_ Sam pressed a little harder on the accelerator.

* * *

Callen walked into OPS. _"What's up, Eric?"_

Eric turned toward him and rose from his chair at the computer. Grabbing his tablet, he pulled up several images on the big screen.

" _Turns out, Ahmed and Farooq are distant cousins of Saman."_

" _That explains the photo Deeks found in Ahmed's house. Anything else?"_

" _Yeah."_ Eric pulled up another, more recent video of a man, bearing a striking resemblance to Saman, walking through LAX. _"Looks like your guy Saman either has a twin, or he's not as dead as we thought. He came in under the name 'Mikael Husseini'."_

Callen stared at the screen in horror. _"When….?"_

" _This video was taken four days ago."_

Callen all but flew down the stairs. _"SAM!"_

* * *

Arya's anxiety was especially strong today. It was so overpowering, she left the library early to come home. Once she got off the bus, she ran home. At least she could trust the relative safety of the alarmed house.

She unlocked the door and rushed inside. Turning to disarm the alarm system, she was surprised to find it unarmed. _Callen?_ She peeked out the curtain to double-check the driveway; his car was not there. Hands shaking, she went through the house, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Finding all doors and windows shut and locked, she breathed a sigh of relief. _Stop being so paranoid, Arya! This is ridiculous!_ She set about making a cup of tea to calm her nerves. _Perhaps I should see a doctor about this…._

As if on cue, every hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

" _Hello Arya."_ Said a chillingly familiar voice behind her.


	20. Chapter 20

**Yes, it was time for a plot twist and a bit of a cliffhanger! I tried something new with the formatting; please let me know if it flows as well as I think it does, or if it's too choppy and confusing. **WARNING** some pretty intense assault elements are upcoming in this and the next few chapters. Nothing graphic, but the theme is clearly there.**

* * *

Sam and Callen tore through the streets of Los Angeles. Callen tried calling both Arya's phone and the house phone. No answer. He swore aloud.

Reaching the house, he leapt from the car before Sam had it fully stopped. Running up to the front door, his heart stopped when he opened it.

The living room was torn apart. Several bloodstains smeared the walls and floor.

No sign of Arya.

Callen felt dizzy. Leaning against the doorframe, he slid down it as his knees gave out beneath him. Sam's concerned voice calling his name was the last thing he heard before his world went black.

* * *

Kensi and Deeks arrived 10 minutes later. Callen sat on the doorstep, head in his hands. Sam tried to console him.

" _I promised her, Sam. I promised she would be safe."_

" _I know, G. We all did. No way you could've known he was alive."_

" _I let her down. I did what I tried so hard not to do."_ Callen left unsaid the underlying fear in his heart: _If she survives this, she will leave for sure. She'll never trust me again._

" _Is she…?"_ Kensi asked Sam softly. He shook his head. _"She's not here. There's blood but…."_

" _Callen?"_ Kensi knelt down in front of him, putting a hand on his upper arm to comfort him. He looked up at her, anguish written all over his face. _"Callen, we'll find her."_

" _I'm gonna go check out the scene, okay?"_ Deeks asked Callen. He nodded and stood shakily. _"I'll go with you. See if I can help you piece it together."_

" _You sure you wanna do that?"_ Deeks asked.

" _Yes, I'm sure. It's my house, Deeks."_ Callen replied testily. Deeks raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

They walked inside.

" _Alarm was off when we got here. I never got an alert that it was breached, so she must've forgotten to set it when she left today. Her purse is right here."_ Callen indicated the handbag on the kitchen table.

" _It started here."_ Deeks said, standing in the kitchen. The shattered remains of a tea cup lay on the floor behind the kitchen table. Tea was splashed in a line from near the sink to where the pieces lay.

" _How do you know?"_ Callen asked.

" _No bloodstains."_

* * *

 _Arya turned around at the sound of that voice. "Saman" she gasped. He smiled cruelly._

" _You still fear me. That's good; you should." He said coldly._

" _Your face."_

 _Saman pointed to the burn scars along the left side of his neck and jaw. "Courtesy of your American friends." He spat. "Look at what they've done to you: working with men, still going out unescorted. And where's your Niqab? I thought you learned your lesson, but apparently, I'll have to beat it into you this time."_

 _Arya set her jaw and glared back at him. "I've come too far to go down quietly." She thought to herself. She hurled the teacup at him and ran for the back door._

* * *

Callen walked through the kitchen slowly. He stopped at the hallway and looked in the bathroom. _"Nothing out of place here."_ He said. Stepping into her room, he checked it. _"Or here."_ Continuing down the hallway, he saw one of the French doors that lead to the backyard was ajar. There was a small, bloodstain on the edge of the door, just below his eyeline. _"Here, Deeks. Bloodstain."_ He examined it closely. _"Looks dry."_

Deeks came and looked at it. _"Yeah. She went this way first; some of the other stains are still wet."_

* * *

 _Arya reached the back door. Unbolting the deadbolt, she pulled the door open. Saman reached her and grabbed her by the hair, banging her head against the door. She screamed and let go of the door, first reaching for the wound on her forehead, then grabbing at his hand in her hair. He began to drag her backward._

Callen stepped into his bedroom and office; no signs of a struggle here. _"She never made it further than the door."_ He said, turning to the living room.

" _She put up a hell of a fight, Callen."_ Deeks surveyed the living room. Callen looked from the bloodstain on the back door to the living room. _"The bookshelf. No, the wall…she tried to grab the wall, but her hand slipped."_ He said, noting a smear of blood on the edge of the wall, clear finger marks were visible.

* * *

 _Arya grabbed for the corner of the wall to stop him from dragging her back. The blood on her hand was slippery, causing her to instead grab the bookshelf; it moved easily, spilling some of the books onto the floor._

" _Then she grabbed the bookshelf."_ Callen said, indicating the angle of the unit, the left side of which was pulled away from the wall, toward the front door. Several books now lay on the floor.

* * *

 _Thrown off-balance by the sudden acceleration of momentum and the books now underfoot, Arya stumbled back and fell. Saman yanked her up by her hair. As she got up, Saman slammed her forward into the right side of the shelf. Putting her hands out to try to stop the impact, her left hand left a smear of blood on one shelf._

* * *

Deeks looked closely at the unit. _"Got another bloodstain here."_ He indicated a small smear on the 2nd shelf down.

* * *

 _As Saman pulled her head back again, Arya put one foot against the bookshelf and shoved hard, sending them both backward over the couch. Saman let go of her hair as they fell. Arya got up and kicked Saman in the face as he tried to rise, causing his nose to bleed._

* * *

" _More blood over here."_ Deeks said, indicating the spot where Saman's nose had dripped. _"I wonder how they went from over there to here."_

Callen looked from the bloodstain on the shelf to the stain on the floor, then to the couch; it was moved away from the shelf.

" _Somehow, they hit the couch. Maybe fell over it?"_ Callen mused. His eyes rested on the mantle over the fireplace.

" _Well either way, the fight stopped here. Because here's a bloody shoeprint leading toward the front door."_ Deeks said, indicating a print next to the couch. _"And the blood smear here on the door handle."_

" _Callen, Eric's got something!"_ Sam said from the doorstep. Callen and Deeks stepped outside and Sam put his cell on speaker. _"Go ahead, Eric."_

" _Callen, I hacked into the feed on your security cameras. Saman entered through the back door at about 12:30pm. Arya came home at 1:45pm. She seemed spooked; she ran inside. At 2:00pm, Saman left alone, backed into the driveway in a 2006 Ford Escape, then went back into the house. He carried Arya out and put her in the back of the car and drove off."_

" _Was she conscious?"_ Callen asked.

" _Doesn't look like it. I've already ran the plates, it's a rental. I'm running it through Kaleidoscope to try and track where it went."_

Callen looked at his watch. _2:40_ it read. _No wonder she didn't answer the phones; she was already gone. Wait, where *is* her phone?_ He dialed the number and went back into the house. He didn't hear it ring or vibrate. He dumped her purse onto the table; no phone.

" _Eric, see if you can find her phone. Number is (213)-555-2792."_

" _Got it. Just a sec."_ There was a pause. _"Callen, her phone's last known location was at an abandoned warehouse not far from you. Sending you the address now."_

Callen and Sam got into the Challenger, with Kensi and Deeks following in their SUV.

* * *

 _(Present time)_

Dull pain pervaded Arya's senses. She longed to stay in the darkness that enveloped her, but the pain was making that difficult.

She opened her eyes. Looking around, she recognized nothing of her surroundings. Metal shelving racks, coated with years of dust and grime. A large worktable stood several feet away. A few chain pulleys hung from the high rafters. Very little natural light filtered through the grimy windows. A large fluorescent light hung over the table, unlit.

Arya realized her hands were bound in front of her; the ziptie dug painfully into her skin. With difficulty, she sat up, causing a wave of nausea to wash over her. Once the room stopped spinning, she started trying to figure out where she was and how she got there. She seemed to be in the corner of a large warehouse. _How did I get here?_ Raising a hand to her throbbing left temple, she found the slightly bloodied knot on her head where Saman had pistol-whipped her; enraged after she'd kicked him, he tripped her, drew his pistol and hit her over the head, knocking her unconscious. _Saman!_

Hearing a noise from the far end of the warehouse, Arya painfully scrambled to her hands and knees and attempted to crawl toward an old metal cabinet along one wall. _Hide!_ Another wave of dizziness and nausea hampered her from crawling in a straight line. She heard heavy footsteps approaching. She tried to move faster, but was on the verge of vomiting. She stopped, trying to clear her head.

" _Arya. Such a crafty little fox, sneaking away from me. And taking that dog with you."_ Saman punctuated his sentence with a hard kick to her ribs. A tear escaped as the pain rendered her breathless.

" _Who do you think you are to deny me?"_ Another kick.

" _And then you do the unthinkable: you marry the dog?"_ Samar grabbed Arya by the hair and forced her head up, looking at her. She struggled to hold back tears of fear and pain; she refused to give him the pleasure of seeing her afraid.

" _I bet you even defiled yourself with him. Tell me, how did he react when he found out your little secret?"_

A look of pain flashed in her eyes for the briefest of moments. _"He didn't."_ She whispered defiantly.

" _Ah, you didn't tell him. Well, no matter. I'll relish telling him what a filthy whore you were, just before I kill him."_

Rage coursed through Arya. She lunged at him viciously, but he was faster and stronger. Saman, still gripping Arya's hair, dodged her lunge and shoved her against the table, bending her forward over it.

Leaning over her, pressing his body against hers, Saman growled inter her ear, _"Perhaps we should relive that delicious experience, dear Arya."_


	21. Chapter 21

**Ok, I'll be nice and give you an update this week, even though we don't get a new episode (darn you, ACM awards!). Thank you for the reviews about the last chapter, especially concerning the formatting. Alright, time to find out what happens to Arya!**

* * *

" _Give us some intel, Eric!"_ Callen said urgently over the earwig. The team was about to turn onto the street where the warehouse was located.

" _There are two entrances, one on the north side and one on the west. Arya's last known location was in the southeast corner."_ Eric answered.

Nell's voice came over the comms. _"We're tapping into the building's wiring now to see if there are any security systems. If so, we'll disarm them. Give me a second…"_

Callen and Sam pulled over and stopped a few hundred yards ahead of the building. Deeks and Kensi followed suit. As they checked their ammo, Nell's voice was heard again.

" _All electronics in the building are disabled. You're clear to enter."_

" _Do we know where Saman is?"_ Kensi asked.

" _No, sorry. He must've turned his phone off earlier."_ Eric said.

" _Alright. Let's get it done."_ Sam said grimly.

Callen and Sam approached the north door, while Kensi and Deeks approached the west door. On Callen's count, they breached the warehouse. Silently, they made their way to the center, meeting up with Kensi and Deeks. Together, they advanced to the south end of the warehouse, each team member clearing an aisle between the shelving racks.

* * *

Two noises reached Saman's ears over Arya's cries. He stopped talking and held a hand over her mouth and his pistol to her head.

" _Shut up! Not a sound, or you die."_ He strained his ears, listening for more sounds. He pulled Arya up by her arm and pushed her forward around the table, holding her in front of him as a shield.

They made it about 10 yards before Callen caught up to them.

" _SAMAN! LET HER GO!"_ Callen yelled, raw fury emanating from his every syllable.

Saman smiled and held the pistol to her temple. _"Who, her? Trust me, she's not worth the bullet."_

" _LET. HER. GO."_ Callen ordered again. Sam appeared from the far east aisle.

" _You have certainly eh, what is the phrase, 'thrown a wrench into my plan'? I was all set to have some fun using her like the little bitch she is before I killed her, and then you had to come and interrupt us. Quite rude, I think."_ Saman bent his head down, putting his mouth right up to her ear. _"Don't you agree, Arya?"_

Arya flinched as she felt his breath on her face and closed her eyes, fighting a new round of nausea at the thought of Saman touching her again. _Please, don't let him..._

" _It's over, Saman. Let her go, and we might let you live."_ Sam said.

Saman continued his taunting. _"You know, she's not half bad, I'll give you that. I speak from experience. Didn't she tell you?"_ An evil leer spread over his face as Callen's right eye twitched almost imperceptibly.

Arya couldn't hold back the tears any longer. She whimpered and begged _"Please don't, Saman. Please stop."_

" _I've had her. She was mine before she was yours."_

" _NO, STOP!"_ Arya cried, closing her eyes in shame and anguish at having her deepest, most painful secret exposed to the man she loved. Tilting her face down, she tried to hide it from Callen, who remained unmoving. _"STOP IT!"_

" _Oh yes! She's not the pure little virgin you thought. A dirty whore AND a filthy liar! You know, I think I'd be doing you a favor, putting a bullet through her head. It's what her father would've done…"_

Arya's world was starting to spin again; she knew he spoke the truth about her.

" _I wonder, Arya, were you EVER going to tell your darling husband your dirty little secret?"_ Saman pulled her head back up. _"WERE YOU?"_

Callen's mind was reeling at this revelation. He didn't think he could get any angrier than seeing his wife at the mercy of this psycho; now knowing the man had violated her made him positively shake with fury. He struggled to hold his pistol steady.

" _Please….just do it."_ A small voice whimpered.

" _NO! Don't do it, Saman!"_ Callen yelled, panic briefly replacing anger.

" _I think I might…."_

" _Please Saman…."_ Arya begged. This shame was too much to bear; she'd never be able to face Callen again, and he certainly couldn't want her now. _No one will._

" _DON'T DO IT! ARYA, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME! YOU HEAR ME? IT DOESN'T MATTER!"_ Callen pleaded with both Saman and Arya. He struggled to keep the fear out of his eyes and voice.

Unseen, Deeks and Kensi had crept around behind Saman and Arya. Saman sensed their presence and spun to his left, pulling Arya with him. The sudden movement threw her off balance, just long enough for Sam to get a clear shot at Saman's torso. He took it, firing two rounds, which hit Saman in the right side. Saman released Arya, who scrambled away on trembling legs.

The team converged on Saman, ensuring he was no longer a threat. Deeks kicked away the gun that had fallen to the floor. When he didn't move, Kensi reached down and felt for a pulse; finding none, she looked at Callen and shook her head.

He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Arya, but she wasn't there. A wave of fear washed over Callen at her absence.

" _Arya?!"_ he started looking for her, weaving around the shelves, listening for her.

* * *

Arya ran blindly, not caring where she was going, as long as it was away from the others. She wanted to hide, to be alone with her guilt. _Worthless!_ She struggled to catch her breath, hyperventilating as the overwhelming emotions crushed her chest. _Whore!_ Her mind flashed between memories of the long-ago assault and the current events. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think; all she could do was run. _Alone._

So, run she did. Head-first into Callen.

Luckily, his ability to track a target by sound was well-honed; he'd known she was running down the next aisle over. He sped up to get ahead of her and turned around the rack just in time to catch her in his arms.

" _Stop running, stop fighting, Arya!"_

" _Let me go!"_ Arya struggled to get out of his grasp, but he was unyielding.

" _No Arya, I won't. I'm not letting you run from me. Not like this."_

Arya fought him until, exhausted by the events of the day and overwhelming emotions, Arya collapsed against Callen. He picked her up in his arms and carried her outside. Setting Arya down on her feet, Callen opened the back hatch of Deeks and Kensi's SUV, then guided her to sit on the bumper.

Tapping his earwig, he said _"I'm outside with Arya."_ Sam replied _"Copy that, G. We'll handle it in here."_

" _Here."_ Callen pulled out his knife and gently cut Arya loose. She pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face against them.

" _Arya."_ Callen said gently. _"Arya, look at me."_ He tenderly took her head in his hands and raised it to face him.

" _No."_ she whispered.

" _Arya, I don't care if you've been with a man before. I don't. What I do care about was if it was your choice or not. Was it what you wanted?"_

It seemed an eternity before Arya finally cracked. _"NO!"_ she said hoarsely, opening her eyes. _"No, I didn't!"_ He saw the raw torment in her eyes; it made Callen wish Saman had survived so he could torture him to death as painfully as possible.

" _Okay. Okay."_ Callen released her face and sat down beside her, wrapping his arms around her again and holding her against him. _"I'm sorry, but I have to ask: did he….did he do it again? Today?"_ his heart squeezed as he waited for her answer.

Arya shook her head no. Callen released the breath he had been holding. There was hope yet that things would be okay.

* * *

The next morning, Callen got out of bed exhausted. He hadn't been able to sleep all night; the image of Saman's filthy hands on Arya had made him sick every time he closed his eyes. At 4am, he'd finally given up sleeping and decided to head to the office early; maybe a good workout with the punching bag would help clear his head.

He checked on Arya. Although she was sleeping at the moment, several wet spots on her pillow and a collection of used tissues on her nightstand were evidence of her own struggle to sleep.

He set the alarm on the house and left.

" _Mr. Callen! What on earth are you doing here so early?"_ Hetty stood at the door of the gym.

" _It's only 6am, Hetty."_ Callen turned from the bag on which he had spent the last 30 minutes unleashing the full force of his rage.

" _That doesn't answer my question."_ She approached him slowly, hands clasped behind her back.

" _Couldn't sleep."_

" _Mm."_ She nodded sagely. _"And how about now?"_

The truth was, Callen was exhausted. But enough fury still coursed through his mind to keep him from resting. _"Doubtful."_

" _I see. Well, in light of the nature of yesterday's events, you're free to leave anytime and go home."_

" _Hetty-"_

" _No arguments, Mr. Callen. She is your wife; she needs you now more than ever. Do not abandon her in this time…"_

Callen crossed his arms in front of his chest. _"I'm not abandoning her, Hetty. She's shutting me out. She hasn't said a word to me since we left the warehouse yesterday."_

" _Then perhaps what she needs is not your words, but your presence."_ Hetty turned back toward the door. _"We'll have the brief on your desk for you no sooner than tomorrow morning."_ She said over her shoulder as she left him alone in the gym.


	22. Chapter 22

**Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I'm excited to know I've kept all of you interested this far. Now to find out if Callen & Arya can go on, and how... **WARNING** Explicit language & themes in this chapter.**

* * *

 _How can a simple cup of tea be so calming?_ Arya wondered to herself as she held the cup in her hands, trying to rid herself of the chill that hadn't left her body for the past 24 hours, no matter how hot the shower was or how many blankets she huddled under.

And what a living hell it had been.

Several sensations had been burned into her mind.

 _The sound of Saman's voice, haunting her dreams._

 _The feel of cold steel against her head._

 _The myriad of emotions seen in Callen's eyes._

Arya closed her eyes and let herself linger on that last memory; she wasn't sure if she'd ever see her favorite one in his eyes again. Callen had already left the house by the time she got up this morning. Hot tears of pure anguish slipped from her eyes. _What if…he doesn't want me now?_

She was startled from her reverie by the sound of a key in the front door. She froze in the kitchen, unsure of whether to run and hide in the bedroom or stay and face him. Feeling sick, she leaned against the counter for support.

Callen walked into the kitchen slowly. Crossing his arms in front of his chest in a subconscious protective gesture, he leaned against the doorway. They stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity, Callen looking at her, Arya staring at her tea in her now shaking hands.

Callen spoke first. _"Arya, I'm at a loss here. I have spent the last 12 hours analyzing and thinking and trying to figure out what to do, but I don't know how to help you without scaring you away."_ He said softly.

" _I'm sorry."_ She whispered.

" _For what?"_

" _Everything. That I didn't tell you the truth. That you had to hear it like that. That I'm not…"_ She trailed off, unable to finish the statement.

" _Arya, you did nothing wrong."_ He uncrossed his arms and approached her slowly, as if she were a skittish animal. Her eyes flicked up at him in fear, but she remained unmoving. He took the cup from her hands and slowly, gently, pulled her into his arms. _"What he did was not your fault-"_

" _Yes it was!"_ she said, pushing him away. Looking anywhere but his face, she told him.

" _I shouldn't have been alone with him. I was walking home from my friend's house. He saw me walking and approached me."_

Callen interrupted. _"You don't have to tell me-"_

" _Yes, I do. It's time you heard the truth, Callen. All of it."_ She turned around, facing away from him to look out the kitchen window as she spoke. _"He said, 'You shouldn't be walking alone, Hamshireh. Let me escort you home.'. I didn't protest, even though something felt wrong; his words were right, but it felt wrong. A block away from my house, he grabbed my arm and dragged me into an alley between houses. He forced me face-down on the ground and held me there. He said 'This is what you get for being out alone and uncovered, you little whore. Good Muslim women cover themselves, so they are not a temptation to good men. If you were covered, I wouldn't have to teach you this lesson. And not a sound, or I'll tell anyone who hears that it was your idea, that you seduced me.'. So I stayed quiet while he…did it. After he left, I went home and washed and washed, but no matter how hard I scrubbed, I couldn't feel clean. I never told anyone; back home, a woman's word means nothing against a man's. But he was right; I shouldn't have been out uncovered. That's why I was so insistent to keep my face hidden from you; it was a mistake I wouldn't make again."_ The story poured out in in a strangled voice as she tried to hold back the emotion that threatened to silence her. _"Once we came here, I thought maybe I could be free again, that maybe I didn't have to be afraid anymore. Now...I don't know. I don't know what to think anymore. "_

Callen listened quietly, resisting the urge to stop her and keep her from reliving the pain. It was hard, but he knew she _needed_ to get this weight off of her shoulders. When she was finished, he spoke firmly.

" _It was not your fault. It is NEVER a survivor's fault."_ He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around toward him. _"Look at my eyes."_

" _I can't-"_

" _Yes, you can."_

" _WHY, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW BROKEN I AM, TOO? THAT YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO'S BROKEN?"_ Arya yelled as she pulled away and stepped back from him toward the hallway. Callen froze; he felt as though the very breath were sucked from his chest.

" _What did you say?"_ he said tightly.

" _I heard you. The other night, when you carried me to bed. I heard every word you said. About your secrets and being broken. All of it."_

Callen's face paled as his mouth opened in shock for a second, then he clenched his jaw, trying to hide the panic he felt. He stood still, too stunned to move. _She'd heard him! Pouring out his heart, and she'd heard it all!_ Stars danced on the outer edges of his vision, causing him to grab the counter for support.

" _Well now, you see the 'not-so-nice parts' of me! You see what I am! And I'm pretty sure that your brokenness can't possibly be any uglier than this."_ At this, she turned and walked to her room and slammed the door, leaving Callen breathless and shaking.

He made his way to a chair and collapsed into it, leaning down to get the blood flowing back into his brain. A jumble of thoughts ran rampant through his brain.

 _Your brokenness can't be any uglier than this._

 _Is she leaving?_

 _She knows! She knows about the 37!_

 _Why didn't she tell me she heard?_

 _This can't be real._

 _How can I make her understand that my feelings haven't changed?_

 _This is why I don't do this!_

Fairly certain he was steady enough, he got up and headed for the couch. This was too much to handle. He'd dealt with revenge-bent Romanis trying to kill him, countless people dead at his hands, and too many fellow agents dead because of him, but none of those things scared him as much as this. He laid down and closed his eyes, trying to meditate and calm himself.

 _Tell her._

He tried to shake off the thought.

 _Tell her._

It wouldn't go away.

 _Tell her the truth._

He sat up again. Texted Sam: **Need to talk. Meet me somewhere?** And waited for his response, which came a minute later.

 **Sam: Grand Park, at the fountain. ETA 30m.**

Callen grabbed his keys and headed out. From the car, he texted Arya: **Going to see Sam for a bit. Be back soon. I love you.**

Not waiting for a response, he backed out of the driveway and sped off.

* * *

Arya's phone buzzed. She stopped surveying her clothes and looked at her phone.

 **Callen: Going to see Sam for a bit. Be back soon. I love you.**

 _I love you._

 _He loves me._

 _Still?_

She put the phone down. Today's conversation did not go as she'd hoped; that wasn't the way she had wanted to tell him she knew about his late-night monologue. The revelation had just kind of spilled out.

 _Like a lot of things recently._

She sighed. Her head hurt from crying so much last night. And today. Arya turned back to her closet, wondering what clothes she would take with her. She didn't have a suitcase. Maybe it was time to buy one. Thing was, she didn't know how to acquire one without Callen knowing. The less he knew, the better.

She didn't want to leave. But she didn't see how he could still want her.

 _It's for the best._

 _Right?_

Her head hurt so much. Almost as much as her heart. She abandoned her perusal of the closet and went to the bathroom. Rinsing out a washcloth with cool water, she wrung it out and went back to her room and shut the door. Laying down on the bed, she pressed the cloth to her forehead and eyelids; it soothed the burning. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **If you've been the survivor of a sexual assault, know that IT WAS NOT YOUR FAULT. If you need support, you can contact the Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network (RAINN) at 1 (800) 656-4673 or go to their website: .org. There is hope as a survivor, and I hope that you can join me and other survivors in taking back our lives. Peace.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Alright, I'll let you all find out if she runs or stays. Sorry this one will be a bit shorter than the usual. I actually had to split the final chapter into two chapters to accommodate my OCD thing for even numbers, and there was NO WAY I'd end this on an odd chapter. :) Thank you again for the lovely reviews; each and every one makes my little heart skip. Happy Easter everyone!**

* * *

Callen approached the fountain and spotted Sam on a bench on the other side of it. He came and sat down next to his partner.

" _What's goin' on, G?"_

Callen paused a second to gather his scrambled thoughts. _"Arya. She heard some things I said the other night that I didn't know she heard."_

Sam waited, eyebrow raised in mild confusion.

" _I sort of talked to her, but thought she was asleep. I thought she couldn't hear me, so I said what was on my mind, what I was afraid to actually say to her. I don't know what I was thinking; maybe that it was less weird than just talking to myself or something. Anyway, she heard. And she told me today that she had. And I don't know what to do with it now."_ Callen leaned down, supporting his weight with his arms on his knees and stared ahead at the fountain as he talked. _"Every instinct I have is screaming at me to run, but…I'm tired of running, Sam."_

" _What did you tell her that was so bad?"_

" _That I was afraid of her leaving. That I wanted to love her, but was afraid of being hurt and broken again. That I *am* broken, and she deserves better."_ The emotion was clear in his tone.

" _And yet, she remains."_

Callen nodded. _"She thinks her 'brokenness' is, and I quote, 'uglier than' mine. But I don't know, Sam."_

Sam nodded in understanding. _"In some ways, it might be. What you've done, you've done. What was done to her was out of her control."_

" _But she thinks it was her fault, Sam. She blames herself, and I tried to tell her it wasn't her fault."_

Sam leaned forward, mimicking Callen's position. _"Every rape survivor does, G. Telling her once won't convince her; you'll have to show her. Have your feelings toward her changed?"_

Callen turned his head to look at Sam. _"Of course not! How could you ask such a thing?!"_

" _I know that, G."_ Sam replied calmly. _"But I've known you a thousand times longer than she has! She doesn't know that, does she?"_

Callen was quiet for a moment. _"I'm trying to tell her, but…"_ he trailed off.

Sam finished his partner's thought. _"You're both trying to protect yourselves."_ When Callen didn't argue, he continued. _"G, nobody's perfect. Or unbroken. We're all a little broken. I am, you are, she is, Kensi, Deeks, all of us have our 'damage'. You think Michelle and I aren't 'broken', after all we've seen in our jobs?" The trick to finding love, I think, is finding someone whose broken edges match and fit with our own. Kind of like pieces of a broken cup._

Callen's brow furrowed as he listened and nodded that he understood.

* * *

Arya awoke and looked at her phone. It had been 2 hours since Callen had texted her. She sat up and sighed. Her stomach rumbled; she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning, before she'd left for work. Frankly, she hadn't had much of an appetite until now.

Arya opened her door and walked into the kitchen. She was startled to see Callen, sitting at the table eating a burrito.

" _You're home."_ She said in surprise. He nodded the affirmative.

" _Are you hungry?"_ he asked, offering the other half of his burrito. _"It's chicken."_

" _I could eat."_ She replied, approaching the table warily. _"I suppose you want to talk."_

" _Sure. Might as well get it over with."_ He said. _"Ladies first."_

She took a breath before starting. _"Callen, I'm sorry for all of this. I can't say I'm sorry enough, and I understand if you want me to leave and never see me again. When we first started this, you said I could always leave if I wanted to. I think that it's only fair if that works both ways. I don't want to, but if you want me to go, I won't argue. I wouldn't blame you if you do."_

He listened quietly, then spoke. _"Arya, I'm going to make this as clear as possible: I do not want you to leave. What I want is to love you, just like I said the other night."_ He felt his heart rate speed up at what he was about to say. He couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye, so he stared at a point on the wall behind her. _"The things I said that night are not things I say to anyone easily. The 37 times I've been hurt…I lived in 37 foster homes as a child. Actually, I've been hurt more than that. My mother was killed in front of me when I was a little boy. Bounced around all those foster homes by people that didn't want me. Many of them hurt me physically. I didn't know my father until recently. Didn't even know my name until I met him. All my life, I've wanted so much to be loved, but after so many rejections, I couldn't take it anymore. So, I shut people out. If I couldn't be loved for who I was, I could be respected for *what* I was. So I focused on my job and being the best agent I could be, whether it be CIA, FBI, NCIS. And in those jobs Arya, I've done so many things: lied to people, manipulated people, killed people. I'm proud to be damn good at my job, but I'm not proud of a lot of the things I've done to get where I am._

 _"But today, the person I do trust most told me the most profound thing he's ever said to me: We're all a little broken. I am, you are_ … _all of us have our 'damage'. And that, the trick to finding love is finding someone whose broken edges match and fit with our own."_ He finally looked at her, allowing her to see the fear and the pain in his soul through his eyes. _"So it's okay that you're broken, Arya. I am, too. I just hope you'll stay and be broken with me and who knows, maybe our combined brokenness will make one whole marriage."_ He stopped and waited.

Arya listened, tears streaming down her face. She looked up at him with amazement behind the tears. _"How? How do you still want me? That's what I don't understand."_

Callen reached out and cupped her face, stroking her cheek with his thumb. _"Because I've seen who you are after the fact. I've seen how strong you are, how you overcome your fears. How you survived. How you saved me and ensured that both of us survived. You are a fighter and a survivor, Arya. You don't have to let this define you anymore. And I want to be there for you every day you continue to fight and survive. That's how."_

Arya leaned her face into his hand and closed her eyes. Sighing happily, she said _"Okay."_ She smiled at him, opening her eyes. He smiled right back.

" _I am starving."_ She said as she picked up the burrito.


	24. Chapter 24

**Sadly, we come to the end of this story with Arya & Callen. I hope you like how I end it; I actually had to split the final chapter into two, which is why this one is considerably shorter. I tried to expand it, but it just didn't feel right to push it much further. And so, we conclude...**

* * *

***EPILOGUE***

Later that evening, as Callen was cleaning up the dinner dishes, Arya called him from her room. Drying his hands, he came to her.

" _What's up?"_

She looked incredibly nervous fidgeting with her hands and not making eye contact. _"There's one thing we never addressed. You said you wanted to love me, spirit, soul, and body. Well, you've loved two out of three…and-"_

She got no further. In two strides, Callen crossed the space between them and took Arya's face in his hands, kissing her deeply, pouring his love for her into the kiss. She reached up to touch his hands with her own, then slid them up his arms to his shoulders and pulled him closer. When they finally stopped, after several moments, to catch their breath, he said _"I thought you'd never ask…."_

* * *

Sam walked into OSP and headed for his desk. Before he got there, he was summoned by Hetty to her desk. As he approached, he saw two teacups sitting on the desk, one on her side and one on his. Hetty retrieved the pot of freshly brewed Oolong and motioned for him to sit across from her.

" _Everything alright, Mr. Hanna?"_ she asked as she poured their cups.

He sat down in the empty chair, taking the delicate teacup in his large hands. He knew to what she was referring. _"I'm not sure, Hetty."_

" _Ah."_ Hetty stirred her tea absently. _"Do you think they'll survive this?"_

Sam thought for a second as he inhaled the steam coming from the tea. _"I think…they are capable of it. It's very hard, in this job, to find and keep love."_

 _"Indeed. You and Michelle seem to have found a way to make it work. And of course, Mr. Deeks and Ms. Blye. And I suspect Mr. Beale and Ms. Jones, as well..."_ Hetty trailed off, eyebrows raised in an expression of humorous surprise.

Sam chuckled. _"Yeah, that's an uh, interesting couple right there. God, can you imagine their children?"_

 _"I try not to, Mr. Hanna."_ Hetty sipped her tea. They sat and sipped for a few moments before Sam broke the silence.

 _"I just hope I got through G's stubborn head. I haven't talked to Arya, but from what I gather, they're both pretty broken right now."_

" _Mm."_ Hetty nodded in agreement. _"That they are. But that's the beauty of love, Mr. Hanna: finding someone whose broken edges fit perfectly with our own. I believe it was you who once told me that."_

Sam smiled. _"That's exactly what I told G."_

" _Good. The question becomes whether he will listen and take it to heart."_

" _And whether Arya will, too."_ Sam finished.

* * *

" _Close your eyes."_ He whispered. A hint of uncertainty flashed in her warm brown eyes. _"Trust me."_ He tried to convey his love in his brilliant blue ones. She blinked once, then complied.

" _I'm going to touch you"_ he said softly. _"Starting up here."_ She felt his hand on her face, holding her still while he gently kissed her neck below her left ear. The feather-light touch of his lips sent goosebumps down her arms.

" _And here."_ She felt him slide his other hand up her back under her shirt. She raised her hands to his sides to steady herself, feeling his firm musculature beneath her fingers. He continued kissing her neck and mouth as he removed his hand from her face and slid her shirt up over her head. She mimicked his action and tugged his shirt off as well. Opening her eyes, she gazed at his well-defined torso.

Flicking her eyes up to his, she asked shyly _"May I…?"_

Callen raised both eyebrows in mild amusement. _"Of course."_

Arya gently ran her hands over his skin, feeling every inch of his shoulders, arms, and chest. She lingered on the five round scars on his chest, tracing them with her fingers. She looked back up at him, curiosity written on her face.

" _Old injuries. Long story for another time."_ As if to indicate the conversation's end, he picked her up and took her to the bed.

* * *

Two hours later, they lay in her bed cuddled together, catching their breath. Callen rested his head on Arya's shoulder, his arm draped across her belly. She wrapped her arms around him, stroking his hair with her hand. She reveled in this feeling of pure joy and contentment; despite her natural nerves at her first time with Callen, she felt completely safe and at ease with him. She sighed and giggled.

 _"Well...that was fun."_

He laughed. _"Good. I agree."_

They laid there quietly for a while, listening to each other's breathing.

" _I love you, Grisha."_

His heart skipped a beat. _"Say that again."_

" _I love you?"_

" _No, my name."_

" _Grisha"_

He loved the way it sounded when she said it. He held her tighter and nuzzled her neck with his face.

" _I love you too, Arya."_

* * *

 **Well readers, it's been a wonderful journey with you all in writing and publishing my first-ever FanFic story! I'm so thankful for all of your reviews; Mulderette, BlackBear53, ssl71, French Fan, Dramamama5, I Feel Possessed, countrygirlUK56, JaniceS, Guest, and Me, you were all so encouraging in your reviews.**

 **I have at least 3 more stories in the works; however, in sticking with my technique of finishing them before I publish them, one chapter at a time, I probably won't have another one to share until at least mid-summer. I do it this way so that I don't feel too much pressure to finish a chapter in a set amount of time; feel free to take this idea if it appeals to you.**

 **I look forward to continuing to read and review your stories! Happy writing to you all. 3**


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